The Legacy
by KelliLeanne
Summary: What if Vader discovered Leia to be his daughter when she was a child? How would she have handled the transition? How would her life have changed?
1. Chapter 1

Title: "The Legacy"  
Author: KelliLeanne  
Timeframe: Seven years post RoTS  
Characters: Leia, Vader, Palpatine, Obi-Wan, Breha Organa  
Genre: Angst, Drama, AU  
Summary: What if Vader discovered Leia to be his daughter when she was a child? How would she have handled the transition? How would her life have changed?  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, Lucas owns everything; I'm just playing with his creations. I promise I'll put them back where they belong when I'm finished.  
Notes: While trying to write a chapter of another story, this plot bunny attacked and would not let go until I wrote this. It was originally going to be a vignette, but I decided to turn it into a full fic.

_**Chapter 1:**_

Vader rarely slept anymore. True, he utilized certain types of meditation techniques while in his hypobaric chamber to invigorate his physical body, but true sleep was elusive, and dangerous. He was mindful of the lesson of Darth Plagueis; those with power should never sleep.

His time in his chamber was never spent idly. While the electronic components of his suit were being serviced by droids, Vader read reports and reviewed fleet movements. While he was looking over a report detailing an increase in pirate activity in the Outer Rim, the hesitant voice of Devastator's captain suddenly filled the small room, "Lord Vader, a communication is coming in for you."

"Patch it down here." The Sith turned toward his display screen and activated it. It was from one of the many covert Imperial agents scattered throughout the galaxy, this particular one was stationed in Aldera Palace on Alderaan. Bail Organa had long been suspected to be disloyal. An agent had been placed in the palace three years ago and until now, had never reported anything. For the sake of keeping their cover, the agents only reported when something was discovered.

"What is it?" Vader demanded.

The informant looked around nervously before peering back into the view screen on his end. "I do not have much time before I am discovered. I will be brief, My Lord. As per my instructions, I have been collecting DNA samples of those living in the palace."

One of the duties of the covert Imperial agents was to collect DNA samples of those whom they were monitoring to be included in a massive genetic database the Emperor had commission two years prior. No one but those in the highest levels of the Empire knew about it, and even Vader was not certain as to its purpose. All genetic information was gathered covertly, usually through medical center records. Vader was angry that he had been interrupted for something so trivial. "Why is this important?"

The nervous agent began explaining. "My Lord, it would not have been an issue until I began searching for the genetic information of Leia Organa, the High Princess of Alderaan. There wasn't any information to be found. The Organas had her genetic information erased from all medical records, or it was never included in the first place. Seeing as how I'm in the palace itself, it was not too difficult to secure a DNA sample from one of her hairs. I had that genetic data analyzed and I found that Leia Organa is not the biological child of Bail and Breha Organa."

To say that Vader was annoyed would have been an understatement. If this agent was not light years away, the Sith would have killed him immediately for wasting his time. "I ask again, why is this important?"

Knowing his life was on the line, the agent spoke quickly, hoping to diffuse Vader's anger. "I had the princess' genetic data matched with information we already have. The only match that came up was from the old Republic Senate medical data. Princess Leia is the biological daughter of Senator Amidala of Naboo."

Emotions that Vader believed he had left behind on the shores of Mustafar surged within him again upon hearing that name, the name of the woman he loved beyond reason--the woman he gave up everything for. _Padmé! _"Are you certain of this?"

"Yes, Lord Vader, I ran the test multiple times, they all came back the same. I contacted you because of Senator Amidala's late Republic history and her connection with Bail Organa."

"Go about your duties, the Empire will reward you for this information." Vader quickly ended the transmission and signaled the droids to begin prepping his suit. He could hardly think, his mind was racing and the black hole that he once called his heart showed signs of life. _Our child survived! She did not die with Padmé._

As the droids were putting on the life support suit, Vader gave orders to the captain to set course for Alderaan. He was determined to retrieve his daughter from those who had held her for all these years. _I'm sure Organa knew; that's why he erased her genetic information. He did not want me finding her._ Vader wondered how the senator had come to take custody of his daughter; he then remembered Organa had been a friend of both Padmé and his former master. _Kenobi had to have had something to do with this._ Vader looked forward to crushing Organa and forcing him to reveal everything.

When the Devastator arrived in orbit of Alderaan, Vader ordered a squad of stormtroopers to accompany him to the surface. The shuttle landed in the large palace courtyard. The arrival of an Imperial shuttle had caused a commotion in the palace; however, the sight of Lord Vader had caused panic.

Vader was met by a frightened Bail Organa as he entered the palace. "Lord Vader, what is the meaning of this?"

Before he could utter another word, the Sith reached out his hand and began strangling the senator with the Force. "I am here for my daughter. Where is she?"

Organa's eyes widened and a look of unimaginable pain was on his face; pain that had nothing to do with the choking his was experiencing. With a crude use of the Force, Vader violently probed his mind until he found what he was looking for, confirmation of the Imperial agent's claim. The girl that Organa was raising was his child, and the senator knew it. The Dark Lord released his hold and the man fell to the floor. He would not be granted death so easily.

Vader gave orders to the stormtroopers surrounding him. "Take him and the Queen into custody. I will search for the princess personally."

With the soldiers securing the palace, Vader let himself enter deeply into a form of meditation. It did not take long before he located a strong presence in the Force nearby; it had to be the girl. Vader began to walk purposefully toward the presence knowing he would soon see his and Padmé's daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: I wanted to say a big thank you to all of my readers and those who left comments. Thank you for all of your encouragement and support. I hope you like where I'm going with this.**  
**_

_**Chapter 2:**_

The sound of an alarm woke the princess up from her sleep. The frightened girl had no idea what to do. It was not the fire alarm or anything else she had heard before in her short life. Something was wrong; something horrible was happening.

Before Leia could process what was occurring, she heard the sound of several people entering her large bedroom suite. She did not know if she should hide or stay where she was. Leia was relieved when she saw it was palace security. "Princess Leia, you need to come with us."

"What happened? Where are Mother and Father?" Leia cried.

One of the security team picked up the frightened girl. There was no time to explain, they had to get to a safe area quickly. "We need to go Princess."

The team quickly ran down the winding corridors of Aldera palace and entered an area Leia had never seen. She had thought she had explored all areas of the massive palace, but this place was unfamiliar. Unlike the rest of her home, this area was not ornately decorated. It was utilitarian and cold; nothing here was aesthetically pleasing.

The room was in chaos, people were running around talking so fast that Leia could not understand them. Suddenly, above the loud chattering, the princess heard a very welcome voice. "Leia, thank the Maker you're here." Leia began crying again as she saw her mother run to her. The officer who was carrying her put her down and immediately Leia was enveloped in a hug.

Leia could not speak for a few minutes, she just cried as her mother clung to her tightly. After a few moments, Leia looked at her mother's face and saw that she had been weeping as well. It surprised the princess very much; she did not remember ever seeing her cry. "Mother, what's going on?"

"My precious one, I love you very much, please don't ever forget."

Leia wondered why her mother was acting so strange. "What's wrong?"

"Just promise me you'll never forget." Leia was surprised by the sudden intensity. "Please, Little One, remember that you will always be loved."

"I won't forget Mother, I love you too." Despite the alarms, being taken to the unfamiliar room, and the general palace chaos, the most frightening thing Leia experienced until then was the look in her mother's eyes.

A security officer reluctantly intruded in the solemn moment between mother and daughter. "My Queen, I suggest you and the princess move to a more secure room. If anything comes through that door, we'll be less able to protect you if you are out in the open." He knew what was as stake, and would die to protect them.

Not looking away from Leia's face, the queen agreed, "of course." Breha grabbed her daughter's hand. "Let's go, Little One, we need to hide."

As Leia was being led quickly into another unfamiliar room, Leia still did not know what was going on. In her seven years, she had never seen anything like this. Two security officers remained in the room with the queen and princess, the rest of them stayed outside to guard the entryway. Leia asked again what was on her mind. "What is going on? Where is Father?"

Breha wiped her tears, "he's doing important work in another part of the palace. He'll be fine." Even at such a young age, Leia knew her mother was lying.

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard. Leia jumped into her mother's arms and the queen moved further away from the door. "Be brave Leia; no matter how bad things may seem, you must have faith. Be brave my little princess, your mother and father will always love you."

Before Leia could respond to Breha's strange words, the sound of blaster fire could be heard from the next room; shouts and screams were next. Then, there was only eerie silence, until Leia heard the strange sound that would eventually become very familiar to the princess. It sounded like deep breathing, but it was really loud.

The security officers stationed in the room closed their eyes momentarily to help shut out their fear. Breha held Leia even tighter and whispered words of comfort. The princess had never been more afraid. The door opened to reveal a monster straight out of nightmares. It was a huge figure clothed in black; his body was covered by black armor and his face was covered by a hideous mask. Leia wanted to scream, but it seemed she had lost her voice.

Before the remaining security officers could raise their weapons in a futile attempt to defend their monarchs, the black clad figure quickly raised a weapon that Leia had never seen in person. It was a lightsaber, she had read about them in history texts. They were the weapons of the Jedi, the group that had tried to assassinate the Emperor.

It was then that Breha held Leia tighter and turned the princess' face away from the monster and what he was doing. She heard a strange electronic sound and the sound of bodies hitting the floor. Then, for the first time, Leia heard the voice that would haunt her for a long time. "Give me my daughter."

Breha refused and continued to hold on. "Vader, she isn't yours. You gave up that right when you killed Padmé."

"Never mention that name again." Leia turned around to see the armored creature gesture slightly with his gloved hand. The princess felt a strong invisible hand pulling her away from her mother. She screamed and tried to hold on but it was no use, Leia found herself in the arms of the monster. She tried to get away, but the creature's arms were too strong.

Ignoring the struggling of the princess, Vader activated his portable communication unit. "Home in on my signal, send a unit to my location. The queen is to be taken into custody. The rest are to search every inch of the palace."

"Let me go, please let me go!" The princess begged.

Vader looked down at the small girl. He was silent as he stared at her. Leia could hear her mother's crying, she was still begging the monster to let Leia go but he ignored her. Finally, he spoke again, "Go to sleep, Leia."

Immediately, Leia felt exhaustion come over her. The last thing she heard before sleep took her was her mother's voice. "I love you Leia!"

* * *

When Vader returned to the Devastator, quarters for Leia had already been arranged. The trance he put her in would keep her sleeping for several hours, enough time for him to plan his next move. Carefully, Vader laid his daughter on the stark military issued bedding. 

The sith knew he had much to do, but he could not help watching Leia sleep for a few minutes; the resemblance to his Padmé was striking. Her hair was dark like hers, and a hint of curl could be seen where perspiration had dampened it. He remembered seeing the girl's eyes during the confrontation with the queen; they were brown like his beloved's. _No wonder the Organas kept her out of sight._

Thinking about the Organas fed the sith's fury. Vader knew the senator was one of his dead wife's closest confidantes and one of the treasonous "delegation of two thousand." _He must have been one of those, along with Kenobi, who turned my wife against me._ Vader vowed that the senator would pay dearly for what he had done. The Organas had kidnapped his child and kept her away from her rightful father. _MY daughter calls Bail Organa "Father"; he will pay in blood for that._

His thoughts of revenge were interrupted by the door chime. Vader knew what it was; he had ordered a medical droid when he had come back on board. Without looking away from the sleeping girl, Vader used the Force to open the door. Barely acknowledging the droid, he gave his orders. "I want a full medical examination for the girl. Take her blood as well, I want a midichlorian count and compare her DNA with my own." Vader did not need the blood tests to know this girl was his, but on the off chance that he was wrong, he wanted to be medically certain.

Being a droid, it did not question the strange orders or ask the dark lord why he needed this information. Testing for midichlorian counts was something many Imperial medical droids were programmed to be able to accomplish. Force adepts were considered dangerous and were usually either killed or recruited by the Emperor for his purposes.

"Yes, My Lord," the medical droid responded with its artificial voice. "What if the child awakens?"

"She will not," Vader informed the droid. Because of the Force trance, only he could wake Leia up prematurely.

As his daughter was getting medically examined by the droid, Vader walked around the quarters that had been assigned for her. _These will not do. _He did not want a daughter of his to have to live in such sparse and drab surroundings like a common soldier. They were officer's quarters, with three rooms, but they still were not good enough. _Padmé wouldn't have liked it._ He knew she would not have complained about the condition of the room, but she would not have been happy. _I have to do better; Padmé's daughter will receive the best._

After nearly a half-hour, the droid came out of Leia's bedroom to find the Sith waiting for him. "Medically, the girl is very healthy. The blood analysis reveals her midichlorian count to be nearly fifteen thousand; and a comparison with your DNA reveals her to be your offspring."

_That's it, she is mine and she is strong in the Force. She did inherit something from me._ After ordering it to not reveal the results of the tests to anyone, Vader dismissed the droid. He returned to Leia's bedroom and stood over her. As he looked down to her sleeping form, Vader wondered what the future would hold for her.

He was not certain what his master's reaction to the news of Leia would be. Sidious may want her dead, want to train her to be one of his assassins someday, or not care at all. _I was reckless, I should have been more careful. I should have thought about this more before I acted._ Careful thought and planning had never been Vader, or his former self's, strong suit. While Sidious did nothing without planning for all possible contingencies twenty or fifty years down the road, the apprentice was more likely to rush to act.

_I can convince him that she will be a great ally someday. He may allow me to train her to serve him._ Of course, that is what the apprentice would tell his master. In truth, he wanted to train Leia to be a dark side wielder loyal only to her father. Eventually, the two of them will defeat Sidious.

Vader knew it was a great risk, but in the last seven years he had learned more about his master. He knew how to phrase requests to make Sidious think they were his idea. _What if he orders me to kill her?_ Vader decided, if that was the case, he could not obey. He would hide her somewhere secure. The sith had enough resources to keep the girl hidden for years.

Vader's communication unit suddenly came to life. "What is it?" He demanded.

"My Lord, the Organas are in a holding cell. We have searched the palace thoroughly, but nothing unusual has been found." The soldier on the other end of the communication paused momentarily. "News of the Organa's arrest has reached the people of Alderaan, they are demanding their release."

"Acknowledged, I will meet them at the holding cell. Send stormtroopers down to the planet to keep order."

* * *

Bail held his wife as she wept. She had just been put in the cell with him a few moments ago and neither of them were capable of speaking. He was thankful that he was allowed in a cell with Breha; he did not expect it. Whether it was because of an Imperial mix up or a rare compassionate stormtrooper, he did not know. He was so glad that he could see his beloved wife one last time before…_before Vader kills me._

Bail Organa was living his greatest nightmare; the very thing he knew he probably could not survive even if Vader let him go. Even so, he knew the sith would never let him go. Bail was not going to leave this ship alive, and he knew it. He was also certain that Breha knew it as well. _I'm so sorry I failed you Breha...I failed you Leia. _

Still, even in this dark hour, Bail never regretted taking in Padmé Amidala's child; he knew Breha felt the same way. Over the seven years she had been their daughter, the little girl had brought light and love to their empty home. _Now Vader will try to destroy that light._

He knew that Leia was strong in the Force, Master Yoda had told Bail this before he disappeared into exile. The legacy that was passed on to her from her traitorous Jedi father was the very thing which may destroy her soul. _Vader may want to make her over in his image and teach her the dark side. It will destroy everything she is, like it did Anakin Skywalker._ Bail prayed to any god that may be listening that Vader would show mercy on Padmé's daughter and not lead her into bondage.

Breha broke from her husband's embrace, "Bail, what are we doing to do?"

Bail wished that he had answers, but he did not; nothing that could help his wife and daughter. "Breha, it's too late for me; I know that Vader will kill me. He's hated me because I was so close to Padmé for many years, but now, he has an excuse to get rid of me."

"Don't say that!"

Bail sadly shook his head, "My Love, we have to deal with reality. Because you are Alderaan's monarch, you may be saved."

"It doesn't matter! I don't want to live without you and Leia." Breha was on the verge of hysterics.

Bail knew he had little time before he would meet his fate. He embraced his wife and whispered in her ear. "There's a man named Jesko Sarin in Malensir; contact him, he'll give you something."

Malensir was the name of a small mountain region on Alderaan's southern continent. Jesko Sarin was an antique and fine art dealer; he was also a trusted courier and operative for a group of Imperial senators who were secretly working to overthrow the Emperor and return democracy.

He had been working for them since the beginning and there was no one Bail Organa trusted more. A few years ago, the senator had left a package for Sarin to give to Breha in case something happened to him. In it were detailed instructions on how to contact Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. If there was anyone who had any chance of getting Leia out of Vader's clutches, it was him. It was a small hope, but it was all Bail had to hold onto at that moment.

Breha knew that they were most likely being monitored, that was the reason for the whispering. "Bail, I don't know how I'll be able to go on."

"You will," her husband assured the queen. "Just remember, not all hope has been lost."

Before Breha could respond, the couple heard the door to the detention block open followed by the distinct sound of Vader's breathing. The sith strode in alone and stopped before the Organa's cell. "Bail Organa, you are charged and convicted of kidnapping. You are to be interrogated and then executed."

The queen gasped, she knew it was coming but to hear it so matter-of-factly from Vader was even more cruel. "Lord Vader, Senator Organa is a member of the Imperial Senate; he is entitled to a trial!"

If his electronic vocabulator was able to process it, Vader would have laughed. "You forget Queen Breha; the Emperor has given me discretionary powers regarding matters like these. A trial would be pointless; we all know the senator is guilty. As for you, your role in this matter has not been determined."

"My Love," Bail spoke. "I lost my daughter today; I don't want to lose you. There is no reason to fight, now." Bail hoped that his wife would understand his meaning.

"She is not your daughter!" Vader interrupted with a roar. "You took her from me after you turned my wife against me. How long did you think you were going to hide her?"

"Leia Organa is our daughter; she was never yours." Bail informed the sith without flinching.

"Leia Skywalker is, and will always be, mine." Vader pressed a button on his communicator and two stormtroopers entered the cellblock. "Take the senator to interrogation and begin the process. I will be there shortly."

As Bail was roughly being removed from his cell, he spoke to his wife for what he knew to be the last time. "I love you Breha. Please don't lose hope."

"I love you, I promise I won't." Breha hoped that she could keep her promise.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: I just wanted to give this chapter a content warning. At the end of the chapter, there is a scene which is much darker than my usual writing and it may not be to everyone's liking. __**  
**_

_**Chapter 3:**_

The room was dark when Leia woke up, she could not see where she was. All she knew was that she was lying in a bed that was not her own. The small girl wanted to run, but she had no idea where she could go. The only light source was in an adjacent room; with what little light that provided, Leia could see she was in a completely unfamiliar place.

The last thing she remembered was being held by that creature in black armor. She hoped it was a dream and her parents would come and tell her that everything was going to be all right. However, Leia's parents were nowhere to be seen, and it seemed like she was in another world.

Suddenly, from the adjacent room, Leia heard the sound of the creature's breathing. It was coming closer; it was coming for her again. _Please father; come get me! _The frightened girl wanted to scream, but somehow she knew it would not help; no one was going to help her. Not knowing what to do as the creature got closer to her room, Leia dove under the covers. She did not want to see it when it came.

From underneath the covers, Leia could hear the creature in her room. She knew it was watching her. For a moment, she wished it would speak just because she could not stand to hear only his breathing. Then she remembered that she had heard the creature's voice before, before he had taken her from the arms of her mother. It had said, "Give me my daughter." Now, Leia was certain she did not want to hear that evil voice again. _What did he mean? Why did he say that?_

It finally spoke, "I know you are frightened, young one; but I will not harm you." Leia noticed that the creature's voice was modulated differently than the last time she had heard it. It still had the deep and unnatural tone to it, but it seemed softer this time and not as harsh. Still, Leia was not going to be calmed by this.

It tried again, "Leia, I understand you are confused about what has occurred; all will be explained in due time. Come out from underneath the blanket."

The last sentence was a command; Leia knew that when she heard it. She remembered her mother telling her once to never show fear in the face of adversity. _I'm not doing to give into fear._ Slowly, Leia came out from under the blanket and looked into the monstrous black mask which the creature wore. She stared at him for a few moments, then she finally got up enough courage to speak. "Where are my parents? Who are you?"

The creature did not respond immediately, it was almost like he was trying to figure out how to answer. "You are on my flagship, the Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator. As to your parents…" Leia noticed that the creature almost spit out the word, "parents." It was said with such hatred; she wondered what this meant. "You may have not been told this, but those who have been raising you are not your real parents.

In the Organa household and throughout Alderaan, the adoption of Princess Leia was no secret. She had herself been told about it only two months earlier; Bail and Breha wanted to tell her themselves before she heard it from someone else. It was a surprise, but Leia eventually understood that Bail and Breha loved her as much as they would their own flesh and blood. It did not matter to her, they were her parents. "I know that I was adopted, but they are my real parents."

The creature apparently did not like that answer. For reasons that Leia could not explain, she could feel his anger growing. This was not the first time that she had been able to feel another's strong emotions. She never told her parents, however, she did not know how she could explain it to them.

Not even trying to keep a calm and even tone any more, the creature pointed at the trembling child. "You were not adopted, they lied to you. You were kidnapped when you were a baby. They took you from your rightful parents."

Leia wanted to go back under the covers to hide, but she resisted the urge. "I don't believe you. They adopted me after my real parents died. I am a daughter of the House of Organa."

The creature was even more enraged, Leia shut her eyes briefly to shield herself from his anger. "You have been fed lies since you were born, in time you will realize that, as I once realized I was lied to. Your mother died after you were born; after that you were taken and hidden from your father."

_Give me my daughter._ Leia's resolve crumbled with that flash of memory from the last time she had seen her mother. She collapsed onto the bed in tears. _No, please don't let it be true._ The creature anger seemed to lessen slightly, but he was just as resolved as before. "Please, let me go home," Leia begged.

"You are home," the creature informed her gently, but still in a matter-of-fact tone. "You are not to call yourself, nor will you ever be called by anyone else, by the name of those who kidnapped you. Your surname is not Organa. You are Leia Skywalker, that was the name you were born with."

Leia was too broken to respond. In one day, she had lost her parents and her family identity; she did not know who she was anymore. Her weeping had stopped, Leia just laid there silent and unmoving with her face buried in the blankets of this unfamiliar bed, wishing that this nightmare would end.

The creature then confessed out loud the thing that young Leia now knew to be true. "I am your father."

She could not respond, the former princess could not form the necessary words. She wished she could tell herself that it was a lie, but the small girl knew that it was not. She had wished earlier to someday find out who her birth parents were, but now she wanted to take that wish back. _The creature is my father; I am the daughter of a monster._

The creature walked toward the door; before he exited, he turned around again to address Leia. "I will leave you to rest." It looked around, seemingly unsure of what to say next. "These quarters are only temporary. New ones suitable to your station are being prepared. I will return in a few hours."

Leia wanted the creature to leave, but she did not want to be left alone either. Curling up in a fetal position, the former princess of Alderaan wept, praying that this was only a nightmare and she would wake up back in her own bed at home. _Mother! Father! Where are you?_

* * *

Darth Vader knew he had to contact the Emperor, he knew word of the operation on Alderaan had leaked out and his master certainly knew about it before then. The Sith apprentice knew he was too hasty in retrieving Leia from the ones who stole her from him, but he could not abide his daughter in the hands of the Organas a day, or even a minute, longer. 

Leia, Padmé's child—his little girl; Vader was glad that the Organas at least kept her first name. In the deep, dark, recesses of Darth Vader's mind, Anakin Skywalker's memories were held. Ever since the discovery of Leia, Vader had been accessing more and more of his former self's memories.

The night after Padmé had told Anakin of her pregnancy, the couple had talked for a few minutes about what their child's name would be. Anakin was certain that Padmé was pregnant with a girl and Leia was one of the names that he suggested and his wife really liked it as well. It was a fairly common name for human girls throughout the galaxy, but Anakin always thought it was beautiful. They never did officially settle on names, but Leia was near the top of the list if the child was a girl.

The time for contacting his master was near, he had to convince him to let him keep Leia. Knowing that waiting would only make things worse, Vader initiated his private communication channel directly to Lord Sidious. As per Sith custom, the apprentice kneeled in submission to the master, even if the master was only there via hologram.

A few moments later, the large holographic image of Darth Sidious appeared before Vader. "What news do you have for me?"

Vader began cautiously, "as you are most likely aware, the Devastator's battle group is in orbit around Alderaan. I received some...information which points to the Organas being traitors."

"Really?"

Vader knew that his master was well aware of the situation, he did not need to repeat this information. He was also probably aware of Leia being taken to the Devastator, however, Sidious wanted Vader to say it. "Senator Organa had been in contact with Obi-Wan Kenobi after...Mustafar."

"Very interesting indeed. You have evidence of this?"

"He took the child of Padmé Amidala as his own. She was born after Mustafar; Kenobi was the one who took her from the planet, he was there when she died. So, he must have been there when her child was born. For Organa to have taken her child, then he must have been in contact with Kenobi." Vader hoped that his reasoned analysis of the situation would help convince his master that the senator was enough threat to be executed.

Sidious did not respond immediately, which angered Vader. "Some may call that conjecture, my young apprentice."

"There has been evidence of traitors within the Imperial Senate since its inception. We know that Organa was a member of the Loyalist Committee and a close acquaintance of Kenobi. Him taking Padmé Amidala's daughter as his own connects him to a traitor." His master's behavior was frustrating, Sidious knew what was going on and Vader knew he already had decided what he was going to do about it. All of this was just another of Sidious' ways of asserting dominance over his apprentice.

The Emperor nodded thoughtfully, "You have already taken custody of Amidala's child."

Sidious' statement was not a question, but Vader treated it as such. "Yes Master, she is my daughter."

One of the most maddening things about Sidious was the fact that it was impossible to determine his state of mind by his facial expression. "What exactly do you propose we do with her?"

"She is young and has little life experience to get in the way of teaching her the Dark Side; she is strong in the Force. She can be trained to be a great ally."

Sidious gave an amused smirk, and mused thoughtfully, "Oh I don't know, Lord Vader; it's been my experience that life experience seems to bring about the Dark Side in certain people." Before Vader could respond, the Emperor spoke again, "I agree with you, your offspring would be of great use to us."

"I will begin training her immediately." Vader was relieved, but something about Sidious' tone did not sit right with him; he was giving in too easily.

"When the Alderaan situation is dealt with, bring her to Coruscant. I would like to meet this child."

Vader was expecting this, but at least he would have some time to begin Leia's training before she was brought before his master. He knew that if she showed no progress, she would be killed. However, there was no guarantee that he would not take her away from him immediately. There would be some time before he had to return to Coruscant, the Alderaan situation could drag on for weeks or even longer.

The Emperor then changed the subject. "There is the matter of what to do with the Organas, you still insist that Senator Organa was a traitor."

"He is a traitor, I have used the power you bestowed upon me to pronounce him guilty of treason and kidnapping." Vader could not wait to kill Bail Organa, he had already ordered him interrogated using the most brutal information retrieval methods ever conceived. The Sith hated that he was not there at that moment watching him scream. He was one of those who turned Padmé away from him. She would be with him if it was not for him and Kenobi, Vader was certain of it.

"Hopefully your interrogation may provide information; I have suspected his involvement in a treasonous group with links to the Imperial Senate. After he is interrogated, you may execute him. As for the queen, however, I want her released."

Vader did not really consider Queen Breha's part in Leia's kidnapping. His rage was focused on the senator. What happens to the queen was of little concern to the Sith apprentice. "Yes Master."

"I will appoint an Imperial governor to oversee Alderaan. Let the people of that planet have their queen back; let them see her powerlessness in the face of Imperial might. Leave a garrison of stormtroopers as well."

"Yes Master."

With that, Sidious cut the transmission and the conversation was finished. Vader got up from his kneeling position and quickly headed toward the Devastator's interrogation chamber. He had some business to finish with Bail Organa.

* * *

It was hard to remember how long he had been in this room; it could have been a couple of hours but it could have been weeks. Bail knew he was drugged, everything around him seemed unreal. His only companion was a stern, middle aged man who administered the drugs. He did not ask any questions, and for that Bail was glad. Because of the large amounts of truth serum coursing through his veins, he would have had a hard time not telling him everything he knows. 

The one thing on his mind the most was failure; that is what he was. He failed his wife, he failed his people, he failed the secret organization that he was leading in the senate, and he failed his daughter. Leia was now in the hands of her the Sith, the very thing he was supposed to protect her from. Master Yoda and Obi-Wan trusted him to watch over Padmé's little girl, one of the last hopes for the galaxy.

After Leia was brought to their home, it did not take long for that overwhelming responsibility to become a joy. Padmé's biological child became their little girl. Of course, no matter how much Bail and Breha tried, they could not forget who Leia's biological father was—Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi traitor.

Bail Organa hated few people, and the monster which was once called "the hero with no fear" was one of them. He hated betrayal, and what Anakin did to those who thought of him as a brother was unthinkable. He destroyed the Jedi and helped destroy the Republic, all because of his lust for power.

Now, that monster had Leia in his clutches. Strapped to the interrogation chamber's metal cot, tears fell down Bail's cheeks as he thought about his precious girl. She was so young and now she was going to be raised by a loveless and murdering Sith Lord. What would that do to her? He was told by Master Yoda that she had a presence in the Force. What if he trains her in the Dark Side—the very thing that destroyed him?

There was some chance that Breha might survive this. If she could contact Obi-Wan Kenobi, then there was a chance to save Leia. It was a tiny hope, but in this dark and sterile interrogation chamber, it was the only hope Bail could hold onto.

He felt one more syringe of drugs being pushed into his weakened veins. He barely heard the administrator mumble something about "getting the balance correct." In only a few seconds, all rational thought was gone. Flashes of various memories flooded his mind, but he could not make sense of them. The very essence of Bail Organa was being stripped away.

Then, there was another syringe; he hated this one. It felt like fire was coursing through his veins and it made its way through his body. He heard a scream, but he was not sure if it was him or someone else who was yelling. As the drug made its way to his brain, the fog created by the last drug lifted; memories became clearer, but that was all he had. He could barely perceive anything going on around him.

Bail heard something that sounded like a door opening, but he could not move his head to look. He could not move at all; his body was completely paralyzed. All he could do was breath, and that was getting more and more difficult. Footsteps were coming toward him, then he heard the breathing. It was Vader, he had come for his revenge.

"Organa, I know you can hear me. I want you to tell me why you took my daughter."

After the question was asked, he felt another drug being forced through his veins. Bail wanted to tell him everything, such was the power of the drugs. He had to remain strong, it was not just Leia and Breha he was protecting. Bail's voice was weak and barely audible, "I had to protect her."

"From who, her rightful father? You had no right!" Vader's voice was all he could perceive of the outside world.

"I...I am her father." As soon as that phrase was whispered, Bail felt pain flow through his body like never before. The pain he felt during the injections was nothing compared to this. Far back in what was left of his rational mind, Bail knew Vader was using the Force to induce this pain. He felt bones throughout his body being snapped and crushed.

He had no idea how long the "interrogation" lasted. In fact, there were very few questions asked. Bail focused on his love for Breha and Leia, it was the only way he could get through it. Finally, in one last act of rage, Vader began choking the former senator with the Force. As twilight fell to the darkest night, Bail Organa barely choked out his last words. "Forgive me Leia; forgive me Breha."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4:**_

Breha Organa was alone—truly alone for the first time in her life. It seemed like it had been an eternity since her husband was taken away from the holding cell. In reality, it had only been about eight hours. In those hellish hours, Breha was tortured by thoughts of what her husband and daughter were going through.

Bail was being interrogated; _tortured, he's being tortured._ Vader had informed her that her husband was to be interrogated and then executed for the crimes of kidnapping and associating with an enemy of the Empire. _He's being executed for asking Obi-Wan to let us raise Anakin Skywalker's child. _Now, the creature that once called himself by that name was back to claim his child. _He has no right!_

Leia was another matter; her beautiful daughter was now just as much of a prisoner as she was. Breha did not think that Vader would physically harm Leia, but there were other things that could cause harm. The queen did not know much about the Force and the Sith Order. Bail had told her some of what he learned from the Jedi, but there was still much she did not understand.

When Leia was brought to Alderaan, Bail told Breha that their adopted daughter had a strong connection to the Force, just like her father. It was three years later that Bail told his wife the whole story and just who Leia's biological father actually was. Now, what was left of Anakin Skywalker had her sweet baby in his grasp. Breha hoped and prayed that he would not teach her the dark side of the Force.

The sound of her cell door opening interrupted Breha's thoughts. To her horror, Vader was on the other end of the door. "Your Highness, you will be returned to Alderaan immediately."

Breha stood up, "Where is my husband?" She already knew the answer to her question, but she asked it nonetheless.

Vader looked down at the distraught queen, "He was executed ten minutes ago, his body will be returned to the palace within the hour; dispose of the remains however you see fit."

It was the final confirmation of her greatest fear. _Bail, how I am going to go on without you, and without Leia?_ It was all the queen could do to remain standing. She wanted to curl into a ball and weep, even in front of Lord Vader. Breha could barely utter her next question, "Where is Leia?"

The Sith Lord seemed to grow taller and even more forbidding, "She is no longer any concern of yours. Be grateful that you are not being charged as an accessory in your husband's crime."

Breha asked her next question knowing that she would be denied, but she would never forgive herself for not doing so, "Can I see her one more time?"

"Absolutely not! My daughter will not spend one more second in your custody."

The queen flinched at the words, "my daughter." She knew it, but hearing those words come from the mouth of the galaxy's most infamous murderer was especially painful. Tearfully, Breha tried once more to reason with Vader. "Can she, at least, be brought up some of her favorite toys, so she has something familiar around her?"

Vader refused, "I will provide everything she needs." The Sith activated his communicator, "escort the queen to the shuttle and have her taken back to the palace."

Within seconds, two stormtroopers arrived and took the queen out of the detention area. Breha wanted to die as she saw the prison her daughter was now in getting smaller and smaller as the shuttle got closer to the surface of Alderaan. _Oh Leia, please don't forget me._

* * *

Obi-Wan Kenobi was meditating when he felt a major disturbance in the Force. He tried to go deeper into his meditation for answers, but he could not determine the source. All he knew was that something had changed drastically, and it was not for the better.

As he sought his answer, the Force directed him to open his eyes. Before him was the ghostly image of Qui-Gon Jinn. This was not the first time his former master had visited him. It had taken Obi-Wan over a year to finally be able to contact the dead Jedi from the netherworld of the Force, but once contact was made, Qui-Gon visited him on several occasions to give additional training.

"You've felt the disturbance in the Force?" Qui-Gon asked without waiting for his former student's greeting.

Obi-Wan stood up, "yes Master, I have. What is going on?"

"Something terrible and has occurred which will change things a great deal."

Suddenly, through the Force, the Tatooine exile heard a whisper, _Leia._ In that moment, he realized immediately what had occurred. "Vader has found Leia." It was the unthinkable; of the Skywalker twins Obi-Wan assumed that Leia was the safest. _I am such a fool._ "How did he find out?"

Qui-Gon shook his head, "It doesn't matter how; what matters is that Anakin has his daughter and she is in grave danger."

_Anakin_. Qui-Gon had never stopped using that name when referring to Darth Vader. It always disturbed Obi-Wan greatly when he used the Sith's former name. Once he asked his former master why he did that and his answer was something Obi-Wan found even more disturbing:

_"It makes you feel better, doesn't it, to keep Vader and Anakin separate? You can tell yourself that it was Vader that betrayed the Jedi, killed the younglings, and bowed his knee to a Sith Lord; because Anakin would have never done those things. You are deceiving yourself if you believe that. It was Anakin Skywalker who swore allegiance to a Sith Lord, it was Anakin Skywalker who ruthlessly destroyed every Jedi and youngling in the temple, and it IS Anakin Skywalker who enforces his Sith master's dominion over the galaxy._

Obi-Wan did not agree with Qui-Gon's claim; he believed that the person he trained was long gone and replaced by something that was more machine than man. He wondered if his master was right and he was deceiving himself; if so, it was a deception that he was not ready to give up.

"Master, if Vader found Leia, he may have found Luke as well."

Qui-Gon saw that his former apprentice was getting panicked; if the twins were found, all hope would be lost. "Luke is fine, Anakin was not aware that Padmé was carrying twins. As far as he is aware, he has found his one and only child."

Obi-Wan sighed in relief. _At least not everything is lost._ "What should I do about Leia? You are right; she is in grave danger, and not just from Vader." He knew the Emperor was an even greater threat. "What if she is trained as a Sith?"

"That is a good possibility."

"What should I do then?"

Qui-Gon shook his head, "I'm sorry, I have no answers for you. I just came to tell you what happened. I would suggest contacting Master Yoda."

Obi-Wan was getting frustrated by his former master's lack of answers. He had no idea how to proceed and contacting Master Yoda was very dangerous. "I can't contact him, it is too risky. It is only to be done in an extreme emergency."

The dead Jedi master's ghostly form began to fade away, "I believe this situation would qualify as an extreme emergency."

As quickly as he appeared, Qui-Gon Jinn was gone. Obi-Wan knew that his master was right; this situation required contacting Master Yoda. He knew that the ancient Jedi was already aware of what had occurred; he needed Yoda's wisdom to know how to proceed.

* * *

Aldera Palace seemed cold and dark as the queen entered the massive building. All the warmth and light that she once associated with the palace was gone. She realized that it was not the building itself that brought light and warmth; it was her family. With the death of her husband and the loss of her daughter, Breha knew that love and joy would never exist in this place again; it would only be an empty shell.

Breha was barely aware as her many handmaidens and advisors began swarming around her offering their condolences. She did not want to hear them; all she wanted to do was run to her chambers, lock the door, and weep. In the back of her mind, she knew she had responsibilities to the people of Alderaan; it was the only thing that was keeping her standing.

The stormtroopers that escorted her from the Devastator had left and had taken up position outside of the palace. Breha knew that they were the first of many Imperial stormtroopers that would be stationed on Alderaan. She knew there would be a garrison left, along with an Imperial governor. The planet was now under complete Imperial control and its peace-loving people would now be subject to someone under the direct authority of the Emperor himself.

The voice of her most trusted advisor, Antin Sarniste, cut through Breha's dark thoughts. He addressed the large group that had gathered around her, "Everyone, I think we should give Queen Breha some time alone." Slowly, the group agreed and left.

Everyone left except Antin; when he was about to walk away, Breha put out her arm to stop him. "Can you escort me to the living quarters?"

He nodded, and held out his arm for her to take. "Of course, My Queen."

Silently, the advisor whom she considered one of her most trusted friends, led her to the Royal living quarters of the palace. "Thank you, send my handmaidens up; I will need them later."

"I will do so immediately." Antin bowed respectfully and left the queen alone.

Breha had been dreading this moment, and she was glad she was alone for it. She steeled herself as she walked through the door. Reminders of Bail and Leia were everywhere; toys, family pictures, and other things that Breha always associated with her family. It was like the entire, multi-room, living quarters were filled with ghosts—ghosts that were an echo of the life the family had only one day earlier.

As she wandered the quarters, Breha found herself in Leia's room. The unmade bed remained as a testament to what happened just less than twenty-four hours ago. She remembered bitterly the last night the family was together. Leia wanted them to do something together but they both told her that they had too much work and it would have to wait. They were both swamped with work and Leia was very disappointed. They promised her that they would take her somewhere special at the end of the week; a promise that never would be kept. _I didn't know we would never be together again. _

Breha tried not to weep as she saw Leia's favorite toy lie forgotten on the floor. It was a stuffed bantha that she had since she was three-years-old; it had come from the family's official visit to a new children's hospital on Alderaan. One of the patients gave Leia the bantha and she treasured it ever since. There was never a night when she did not sleep with it next to her. _She never will have it with her again._ Breha picked up the stuffed animal and held it; she could not stand seeing it lying on the ground.

Moving through the residence, Breha was hit with more and more memories of her family; so much that it was overwhelming. Everywhere she went, there were echoes of Bail and Leia. Finally, Breha entered her and her husband bedroom.

There was nothing in this room that did not remind Breha of her husband. There were holograms on the walls of the two of them, and some with them and Leia. One thing that she found especially hard to look at was a small figurine of a peko-peko that Bail had given to her on a whim before they were married. She told him once that it was her favorite bird and the next time she saw him he gave it to her. Of all the lavish gifts her husband had given her, this simple and inexpensive token of his love was the most treasured.

When Breha sat down on the bed that she and Bail had shared since they were married, all of the grief and anger that she had been bottling up since this began burst through her emotional shields. Her entire body shook with sobs as she curled up on the bed. Two hours later, handmaidens found the queen asleep in that position, clutching Leia's stuffed bantha.

* * *

"My Queen, there is something I need to tell you." For the last hour, Breha had spent time with her handmaidens, preparing herself for an address to the people the next day. It was something that she did not know how she was going to handle, but it her duty to somehow calm the people.

She knew the Alderaanian people, and they would never descend into major civil disobedience. However, Breha knew that any kind of protest, no matter how peaceful, would be interpreted as riotous crime by the Imperial authorities and be met with lethal force. The queen did not want to tell her people that they no longer had the right to protest, but things had changed drastically on Alderaan. It was no longer the safe haven for democracy that it once was. Somehow, the people had to understand just who was now ruling them.

"What is it?" Breha asked as she looked up into the sad face of her head handmaiden.

"Prince Organa's body just arrived at the palace; he has been taken to the north wing."

The north wing of Aldera palace was traditionally where deceased royals would lie in state during the funeral proceedings. The last royal to be taken there was Breha's father when she was only ten years old. She remembered seeing her father's lifeless body draped with fabrics embossed with their family's crest. _Now, my husband will lie there as well._

Breha stood up, "I want to see him."

The handmaiden tried to stop her as she headed toward the door, "Queen Breha, his body has not yet been prepared for viewing. Maybe you should wait until then."

_They want to protect me from seeing my husband's battered body._ "I want to see him now. I understand what you are trying to do, and I appreciate it, but I need to see my husband now."

Knowing that they could not dissuade the queen, the handmaidens followed her on the long walk to the north wing of the palace. The somber procession stopped outside the room where Bail was temporarily laid. The queen turned to her devoted handmaidens, "I will go in alone."

The head handmaiden answered, "we will wait for you."

"Thank you." Breha slowly opened the large manual door which separated her from the battered body of her husband. Closing the door behind her and going deeper into the darkened room, she found Bail's body lying on a platform, covered in simple white linens. She was glad that whoever laid him here made some effort to present him with respect and dignity. _More than those damned Imperials would have done._

Breha thought she was prepared for the sight that awaited her when she pulled the linens off of Bail's upper body; she was not. It was much worse than she had imagined. If she did not know better, Breha would not have recognized this body as once being Bail Organa; it was bruised beyond recognition.

She gasped as she saw his arms and hands, bruises which could only come from syringes littered his forearms. Breha also realized, with horror, that the bones in his hands were so broken and crushed that she could see bone shards breaking through his flesh. If she examined his entire body, she would have found crushed bones in every area of his body.

She wept as she realized what kind of torment Bail went through before he was killed. Waves of hatred flowed through her—hatred of Darth Vader. He had killed her husband, took her daughter, and left Alderaan under Imperial rule and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Then she remembered one of the last things that Bail said to her before he was taken from the holding cell, _"There's a man named Jesko Sarin in Malensir; contact him, he'll give you something... Just__remember, not all hope has been lost."_ Breha wondered who this man was and what he had to give her. The hope that seemed so distant sparked within her. She knew it would be very hard to contact this man, outside communication from the palace was not allowed at this time. _I'll figure something out; if Bail wanted me to contact him, then it is something very important._

"Goodbye, My Love," she whispered. " I don't know how I'll be able to go on without you and Leia. I pray you are right and not all hope is lost; but I can't see any evidence of hope remaining. I will trust you though." Slowly, Breha covered the body of her husband again with linens.

The queen left the room and rejoined her concerned handmaidens. She knew that her time to mourn would be short. She still had responsibilities to her people and she had to somehow find a way to contact Jesko Sarin. Her first duty, however, was to make certain her husband's body was laid to rest properly.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5: **_

"My Lord, the quarters you requested have been prepared." Vader had ordered new quarters for Leia to be prepared, something suitable for someone of her station. She was the daughter of the second in command of the Empire, and she would be treated as royalty; nothing would be denied her. _Almost nothing, she will never see her kidnappers again, no matter how much she may want to._

"Acknowledged, I will inspect them." While Vader's armor was being attached after daily maintenance, he thought about how Leia reacted to him; she saw him as a monster. He was perfectly aware that his mask and armor was frightening, especially for a small child. It angered him to know that she loved and trusted those who took her from her father and lied to her throughout her entire life.

Still, he was impressed with the way she handled herself in front of him. After just a little coaxing, the girl showed her face and looked straight into his mask. Vader could see that there was a fire in her; she did not like to show fear. _Just like Padmé._

He could not help but see Leia's resemblance to his late wife. She had her brown eyes, her dark hair, and her fearlessness. Vader had not thought about Padmé in many years; soon after Mustafar he forced her out of his mind and focused on finding the last of the Jedi and doing his master's will. She returned when he discovered their daughter on Alderaan.

Leaving his chambers, Vader took a short walk to the rooms that were prepared next to his for Leia. They were the largest quarters on the _Devastator_; even larger than his own. The large main room led to a bedroom, a private sitting room, and a dining area. It also led to another room that Vader had specifically requested, a training room. As soon as possible, he was determined to begin teaching his daughter the ways of the dark side of the Force; she would need to be strong if she was to survive.

Vader was satisfied that the room did not look as much like military quarters than they did. He wanted to do more, but they had limited resources. A few hours ago, he had sent a protocol droid down to the planet to procure clothes for Leia made in the finest fabrics; he knew the girl had nothing and he was not about to let her have anything from her former life. She would need a clean break from the past, and keeping clothes and toys from her life on Alderaan would keep a link to her kidnappers.

Leaving the quarters, Vader quickly made his way toward Leia's temporary quarters. Entering the dark room, he saw his daughter asleep on the floor, with the only protection from the chilly room being her lightweight nightgown. Frowning, he wondered how she ended up on the floor. Carefully, he picked up the small girl, brought her to the couch, and covered her with a blanket.

A slight twitch indicated that Leia was dreaming. In curiosity, Vader reached deep into the Force and connected with Leia's mind to view her dreams. He was not surprised how easy it was to do; their biological connection made a mental connection almost effortless. The Sith knew that this would make Leia's training easier; he would be able to easily guide her from inside her own mind.

Vader was not surprised to see Leia dreaming of the Organas; he knew it would be a while before they would be forgotten. In her dreams, Leia was reliving moments with them. It angered him to see his daughter call the queen, "mother"; that was what she should have called Padmé. It especially angered him to see Bail Organa pretend to be her father; he wished that he would have made the senator's torment last longer during his interrogation.

Suddenly, everything changed; Leia's dream shifted to a more intense scene. She was seeing Bail Organa in immense pain and crying out to her and the queen was repeating the words, "Oh Leia, please don't forget me" over and over.

He was amazed that, even though she was young and untrained, she still picked up so much from the Force. Through the mind link, he could easily feel his daughter's emotions. She was feeling immense sadness but the overriding emotion was anger, pure anger that bordered on rage. _So, she is like me after all._ He was looking forward to teaching her the ways of the dark side of the Force. When she came of age, she would be nearly unstoppable. _Then, we will both destroy Sidious. _

Since Leia had so quickly come into his life, Vader had little time to think about future plans. He had wanted to destroy his master and take his rightful place as Emperor very soon after he pledged himself to Sidious' teachings. Before Mustafar, he had the power to overthrow him on his own. Now, his suit left him unable to wield the power he once did. He would need an apprentice to help him kill his master; Leia would do very nicely.

While Vader was fascinated by the amount of anger to come from such a young child, he knew it was dangerous to allow her to dream about the Organas. The sooner she forgot about them the better. Breaking his connection from her dream, he found himself in the real world, back on the _Devastator_. Vader looked down at the restless girl, it was time for her to wake up and face her father.

* * *

Breha hated mourning clothes. It was a tradition for the Royal family of Alderaan to wear symbolic costumes for an entire month after the death of a loved one; the last time she had worn them was after her father's death when she was a child. She knew it was important to carry on the tradition, but Breha could barely stand to wear the long red gowns for one minute, let alone an entire month. It was not like Breha was not in mourning; she knew she probably would be for the rest of her life. The clothes seemed superfluous.

The only ray of light left was her husband's last cryptic words to her. She hoped that something good came from her finding this man Bail spoke of; if not, Breha wondered if she could continue knowing that there was no possible way to get Leia back.

Zara, her head handmaiden entered the room. She too, like all of the palace staff, was wearing red. "My Queen, is there something I can do for you?"

Breha looked over at the concerned young woman. "Has my statement been released to the people?" Her advisors thought it best that she not give a public address regarding recent events; in Alderaanian Royal tradition, grieving family members were to not be seen in public for the entire mourning period. They told her that it would best for all involved if she would respect this tradition; a written statement would be sufficient. Breha knew the real reason why they did not want her to appear in public; they were afraid that she would fall apart during the speech.

"That is one thing I came to tell you. As you know, all communication from the palace has to be approved by the Empire. Our new Imperial governor did not approve of your statement."

Breha sighed in annoyance. The new governor had not yet arrived on Alderaan, but he was already making his presence known. He had sent her staff a list of demands; among other things, he was to be housed in the palace and a personal servant was to be appointed to cater to his needs. "What exactly did he object to in my statement?"

Zara shook her head, "he did not say. He did say that would be one of the things that you and he would discuss when he arrives."

"When will he arrive?"

"His shuttle is scheduled to touch down in about ten minutes. He's requested you meet him at the main entryway."

Breha knew exactly what this governor was trying to accomplish. He wanted her to meet him to show that he was in control of the queen and the rest of Alderaan. However, she was too stubborn to consent to play his game. "When he arrives, have him escorted to the reception hall. I will meet him then; have him wait for me."

"Yes, My Queen." Despite the circumstances, Zara could not help but smile a bit at the queen's refusal to be intimidated. "There is another matter; you asked for information regarding a man in Malensir named Jesko Sarin."

"Yes, what did you find out?" Because of the communications blockade, it was impossible to contact anyone without permission. Breha had decided to trust her head handmaiden with gathering information on this mysterious man her husband told her to find.

"He's a dealer in antiques and fine art; there are records of him having dealings with your husband."

_Why would Bail want me to find an art dealer?_ "What sort of dealings?"

"According to financial records, your husband purchased several items from him. They were all personally delivered to his residence on Coruscant."

Breha was confused; she had never known her husband to be a lover of the arts. _There must be something he was hiding. Was he hiding it from me? Maybe he was hiding something from the Empire; I must contact this man._ The queen got an idea. "Zara, for the funeral, I want new artwork to grace the north wing of the palace, something suitable to honor my husband. I think Jesko Sarin is the man to provide exactly the right pieces."

Zara knew exactly what the queen was up to. The Empire would probably allow the palace communicating with this man under those pretenses. "Yes, My Queen, I will request the Empire to allow him to come to the palace personally. For an issue of such great importance, you will most likely want to speak to him face to face to help decide the right artwork to purchase."

The queen nodded, "exactly. Thank you Zara, you completely understand."

Zara curtsied respectfully, "I will send the request immediately."

"Thank you." The handmaiden left the queen alone. She had to prepare for the upcoming meeting with Alderaan's new governor. She had heard little about this man who was to rule their planet, and that made her very uneasy. At only thirty-five, Fius Malix was the youngest governor ever appointed. Like all the Imperial governors, he was personally appointed by the Emperor himself. _What would make a man so young stand out among the countless others with more experience?_ Knowing the Emperor, Breha was not sure if she wanted to know the answer to that question.

* * *

Leia awoke to find the creature standing over her. She had been dreaming about her parents; her father was in pain and her mother was calling out to her. It was terrifying; she was relieved to wake up, even if she woke up to see the creature.

She realized that he must have moved her. Before she fell asleep, she had been so frightened to be alone. She wanted to leave so badly but found that her door was locked. Leia remembered being so upset that she sunk down and wept beside the door; she vaguely remembered falling asleep right there on the floor.

_I can't panic, I can't panic._ Leia knew that running away from him was no use. _I am a princess; he will not make me afraid._ With much resolve, she sat up quickly and looked at the huge figure in black armor. "How long have you been there?"

"For just a moment; I promised you that I would be back. We need to talk about your new situation here."

Leia wondered why the creature's breathing and voice was so strange. _It must be those machines that he wears._ She then realized that she did not know the creature's name. "What is your name?"

The creature who claimed to be her father did not respond right away. Leia wondered if he was angry with her for asking. He finally answered, "My name is Darth Vader."

"That is a strange name." Leia had never heard such a name, but the odd name seemed to fit this strange looking creature.

"You will not address me by that name. I am your father and you will address me as such." When he gave this order, his voice was raised slightly.

Leia wanted to cry and continue to deny what she knew to be true, that this creature was her father. She did not though; she knew it would only serve to make the creature angry. She remembered something she learned when she was younger; she was taught to close her eyes and take a deep breath when she was angry or upset. She did it, and it seemed to calm her panic somewhat. _I must be strong._ Leia stood up, but continued to look directly into the creature's mask. "What do you want with me?"

Suddenly, Leia felt something very strange; it seemed like it was coming from inside her mind. It was frightening at first, but then it felt almost right—like a piece of herself that she did not know was missing came into place. She was somehow aware that it was the creature's doing. Then, she heard a voice from inside her own mind, _"You are my daughter, and I will teach you all I know. You will learn to be strong, and together, no one will stand against us."_

At this moment, curiosity outweighed any fear Leia had for the armored figure that was her father. _"What can you teach me?_ Leia could not explain it, but she somehow knew how to communicate her thoughts to him.

_"My daughter, I will teach you to hear the very heartbeat of the galaxy. With this power, there will be absolutely nothing you cannot accomplish."_

Leia bristled inwardly at him calling her "my daughter," but she knew there was nothing she could do about it. _"What happens next?"_

Vader broke his mental connection with Leia, and spoke aloud. "I will take you to your new quarters; there you will find clothes and a meal will be prepared for you."

Leia was hungry; she had eaten very little of the food that a droid had brought to her earlier. She was also relieved to hear that there would be more clothes; her thin nightgown was little protection against the chilly air of the ship. "All right, I will go with you."

Vader nodded and motioned toward the door, "come with me."

* * *

The queen received word of the arrival of Moff Fius Malix; as per her instructions, he was immediately escorted to a meeting room to wait for her. After twenty minutes, Breha figured that she had made him wait long enough.

Entering the meeting room along with two of her top advisors and her head handmaiden, she found a thin, non-descript man looking out of the window. He turned to the queen and smiled. Breha suddenly felt even worse about Alderaan's governor; there was something about his smile that made her skin crawl. "Queen Breha, you should do something about your staff. Obviously they did not give you the message concerning my arrival. I would hate to think that your staff's incompetence caused friction between us."

Breha's tone was cool and professional. "I received your message. I'm afraid that I was unable to meet you when you requested."

The Moff's smile did not disappear; it actually got bigger and more unnerving, "this will not do, Your Highness. In the future, you will make time for me. You will find that it is better for Alderaan if you and your staff cooperate with me. I was personally appointed by the Emperor himself. By cooperating with me and showing me the respect that I am due, you are showing the Emperor the respect he is due."

The queen noticed that Malix's smile became almost a leer. She did not even want to think about the implications of his statement. "We have much to discuss. First of all, I want to know why my statement to the Alderaanian people was denied transmission."

"Oh yes, your statement." Malix took out a datapad and glanced down at the contents. "You announce your husband's death; you said that he died after being taken into custody by the Empire." He looked up and gave the queen another sickening grin. "Do you really think it is wise to announce that?"

Breha was trying really hard to maintain her composure; she had known this man for less than five minutes and she already could not stand the sight of him. "That was the truth; I'm not about to lie to my people. Besides, I did not go into the fact that he was tortured for hours before he was killed."

"I am concerned about the people's reaction; it will be hard for me to govern those who think that the Empire murdered their popular senator." Malix's was talking down to the queen; he was speaking to her in a tone reserved for adults speaking to children. "I will be blunt, your husband was a traitor and he paid the price for it. We wouldn't want the people thinking that he was murdered, as if it was an injustice."

Before the queen could say anything in response, her top advisor, Antin Sarniste, spoke up loudly, "Bail Organa was no traitor and you will not speak ill of him in front of the queen and his people."

The smile on Malix's face disappeared instantly; he crossed the room quickly and stopped inches in front of Sarniste's face. The two men glared at each other for a few seconds before the governor looked over at the queen and plastered that grin on his face again, "Your Highness, I realize that Alderaan is not accustomed to Imperial protocol and I must be forgiving for these kinds of slights early on. However, you must realize that my patience is not infinite. I don't want to be harsh, but I will not take disrespect lightly."

Breha knew that she should apologize on behalf of her advisor, but she could not form the words. "Duly noted, Governor Malix."

He moved away from Sarniste and sat down at the large table in the middle of the room. "Come, let's sit down, we should begin anew. Now that you understand what is expected from you and your staff, I believe that we can all work together in relative harmony to accomplish the Emperor's goals."

The queen signaled her staff to comply, and she sat down as well. She had no doubts that Alderaan would suffer for any defiance. She knew that she was going to have to choose her battles with this disgusting little man. _Oh Bail, what would you have done if you were here?_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6:**_

The Force had been in mourning since Anakin's turn to the dark side and the purges began. Yoda had felt it for the last seven years, but now things had changed, and not for the better. Leia had been found by the Sith Lord that was once Anakin Skywalker; she had been found by her father. He knew it even without having to consult with Qui-Gon. It was a very troubling development, and the Force seemed to agree with him.

Yoda knew that Leia was young and impressionable and thus would have little resistance to training to use the dark side of the Force. The girl knew nothing about the Force, and Vader would be her only teacher. The ancient Jedi admitted to himself sadly that the girl stood little chance to fight the all-consuming power. _To the dark side, another Skywalker will fall._

There stood another possibility. Underneath layers of grief that had been formed, there was a tiny glimmer of hope within him. The presence of his daughter might awaken Vader's long suppressed humanity. However, this was such a remote possibility; Yoda barely gave it a second thought.

He was not surprised when he heard his hidden communication equipment come to life. It was the only bit of electronic equipment that he had inside his hut on this jungle planet. _Found out, Obi-Wan has._

Sighing deeply, Yoda hobbled his way to his tiny home. It had only been seven years, but he felt as if he had aged over one-hundred. He knew he would not last long on this planet; he had twenty or thirty years at the most. He had hoped that would be enough time to train Luke; but with the other twin falling under the influence of the dark side, he knew things had gotten much more complicated. Still, he had faith that somehow the Force would open a path for the darkness which had infested the very soul of the galaxy to be defeated.

Yoda found the communications unit and activated it, "Finally contacted me, you have." The two remaining Jedi had left the possibility for contact open, in case of an extreme emergency. The equipment had been finely tuned and the best for clandestine communication. It was nearly impossible for a source on the outside to trace the audio signal. However, because of the danger, any communication between them would have to be brief—ten minutes at the most.

"Master Yoda, I presume you know what happened." Obi-Wan's voice was weaker than he had remembered it; he too had felt the weight of the last seven years.

"Know, I do, terrible development."

"I'm contacting you for guidance."

The ancient Jedi master knew what must be done, but it was not an easy choice. If it failed, things would be much worse. "Rescue young Leia, you must. Her father's influence, she cannot fight."

"Master, that would leave Luke unprotected."

Yoda had considered this; there was danger in leaving Luke without Obi-Wan's protection. However, Vader had no idea that Padmé had twins and would not be looking for another child. However, Yoda could not forget that Sidious still was a great threat that could not be taken lightly, even greater than Vader. "Safe, for a time, Luke will be."

"What will become of Luke if I should fail?" Yoda could hear the doubt in Obi-Wan's voice.

"Then decide you must, not to fail."

Obi-Wan did not respond immediately, the old Jedi knew that the younger one was anguished at the thought of facing his fallen former padawan learner. "Master, should I bring Luke to you, just in case I am killed?"

Yoda had briefly entertained that possibility, but rejected it. It was not a practical solution at this time. "Take young Luke away from his family, you must not. If killed you are; act I must. Until then, safe he is; on Tatooine he must stay."

"Yes master, I will accept your wisdom. I will make the necessary preparations. It could be at least two weeks before I can leave Tatooine."

Yoda sighed, "Quick, you must be to save the young Skywalker child. If bound to darkness she is, much worse things will be."

* * *

The news had been trickling into the Senate complex for the last two days. The first inkling of trouble on Alderaan was when the planet's diplomatic consulate was searched by stormtroopers. Unfortunately, that in and of itself, was not that unusual. Random searches of offices in the Governmental Complex were sometimes conducted. However, they were rarely done to planetary consulates.

Bail Organa was known as a thorn in the Imperials' side. He was always doing his best to keep the Emperor's power from becoming more absolute. There were rumors that Bail Organa did more than use senatorial procedures to combat the Emperor. The rumors were true.

Organa led a group of other brave senators and formed an organization to bring democracy back to the Republic. They were working slowly, but steadily in achieving that goal. Everything was going as planned, until the announcement of Bail's execution.

Mon Mothma was in the Senate chambers when she heard the news. A speech by another senator was interrupted by the announcement. "Forgive me Senator but I must report some very disturbing news. An official report has just been issued, Bail Organa has been arrested for treason against the Empire. The details are few, but Lord Vader himself discovered his deception. As all traitors against the Empire deserve, Bail Organa has paid the price with his life. More information will be given as it becomes available."

The room erupted in shouts of shock and outrage. After the Senate finally came back to order, a large group of senators lined up to publicly express their outrage. Mon remembered with much anger that the outrage was not against those who executed their colleague without a trial, but it was against Bail Organa himself. All of them made it known that they never trusted his or his planet's pacifist ways and a few even called for Alderaan to be punished for Organa's crimes. She knew that she should not have been surprised.

Mon was in a daze as she left the Senate chambers and headed to her office. It did not seem real; she had just seen Bail less than two weeks ago. Of course, it was something every single one of those who covertly worked against the Emperor knew could happen at any time. What she did not understand was why only Bail was discovered. He was the most careful senator that she knew in the Organization, she always figured that it would be her that would be caught long before him.

She found it really odd that there were no specifics as to the type of treason Bail was executed for. In cases like this, usually there would be pages and pages of documents describing how the traitor was discovered and the exact nature of his crime, but there was none of that in this case.

The senator from Chandrila knew that it was very possible that Bail revealed the names of other group members during his interrogation. He was very strong, but if Lord Vader was the one who performed the interrogation, even the strongest could not hold out against that.

There were no new precautions that she and the Organization could take to protect themselves. If Bail did not reveal their names and they fled the capital anyway, it would shine a light on their guilt. Leaving Coruscant was not an option even if Bail had implicated them; the people of the planets they represented would surely suffer greatly if they ran away. The only thing they could do was wait.

If Bail did hold out against Vader's interrogation, the Organization would go on. Losing him was a grievous blow, but it was one that they had to survive. Mon Mothma decided that they would never forget Bail's sacrifice, but they could not quit and allow the galaxy to remain ruled by a dictatorship. They would pick themselves up, and continue on toward their goal.

* * *

For Breha, it had been the longest week of her life. Just seven days ago, everything was right and everything was good. She had her family and her people were still free, at least as free as possible while existing inside the Empire. Alderaan was still one of the last refuges for democracy and freedom, but that had all changed in such a short time.

She remembered as a child being told by her grandmother that there were seasons to life. Sometimes, there were seasons in the sun when all is good; but there were always seasons in the rain and darkness that must be survived to get back to the light. Breha wondered what her grandmother would have said if she were alive to witness the darkness that had descended upon her family and her planet. The queen wished she were here, she needed her council badly.

Breha hated waking up every morning knowing that she would have to endure another day without her family. She knew her daughter was still orbiting the planet in Vader's flagship. At night, Breha could see the outline of the _Devastator_ as it orbited over the palace. Leia was so very close, but in reality, she was very far away. She was in the clutches of one of the brutal enforcer of Emperor Palpatine's rule. Breha wondered how Leia was being taken care of. Was there someone there to tuck her in at night, someone to hold her when she is afraid, someone to wipe her tears?

Somehow, Breha did not think Vader had it within his corrupt soul to even think about such things. Her precious little girl was in the company of a monster; it did not matter to her that the monster was her biological father.

She thought about Bail and how his body was now in a stasis chamber awaiting the funeral. She had not seen him after he was embalmed; the only time she had viewed his body was the night he was returned. Seeing his bruised and battered body was something a part of her wished she never saw.

The funeral arrangements were a source of much distress for the queen and the palace staff. Claiming that it may inflame anti-Imperial sentiment among the people, Moff Malix did not approve a traditional state funeral; only a small ceremony would be allowed. It burned her up to know that he had such authority, but it was a reality she had lived with for the last few days.

In the short time he had been appointed governor, Malix had made his presence felt in almost all aspects of Alderaanian life. Every day, he gave public addresses extolling the benefits of direct Imperial control and denouncing all who had misgivings as less than intelligent. If anyone happened to disagree too loudly, stormtroopers would visit their homes at night and be taken away to never be heard from again.

The day after Malix's arrival was when he made his first public address; in it, he confirmed Bail's death. In a speech that lasted over an hour, the governor spoke of how their senator had been plotting against the Empire and was executed for his crimes.

Malix finished up by outlining his role as Imperial governor, _"I am here as the Emperor's personal representative to the people of Alderaan. I will work for your benefit and for the greater glory of the Empire. I know that many of you are shocked by what was announced today, but I trust that Organa's treachery was an aberration and his views are not shared by a majority of the populace. We will see by your actions if the people of Alderaan are truly committed to peace."_

The queen had spent those days in the palace; she was still not allowed to leave, even to wander the palace gardens. After her initial meeting with Malix, she had only been in one other meeting. It was a short meeting when he informed her that an Imperial commission was looking into ways to reform to the Alderaanian school system's curriculum to produce "more productive members of Imperial society." When Breha countered that what he was planning was indoctrination, Malix told her, with a smile, that she should not use such strong words like "indoctrination" because they have a negative connotation. Before she could respond, he left the meeting to deliver that day's public address.

Overall, the people of Alderaan were remaining peaceful. There had been a few protest marches against the Imperial presence and they were quickly disbursed by stormtroopers. _We can't just lie down and do nothing. We will lose everything we are as a people if this continues._

Breha's thoughts were interrupted by her head handmaiden's arrival. "My Queen, Moff Malix is asking for your presence in the east conference chamber. He says that he has been trying to contact you for the last half hour but your communicator is not functioning properly."

The queen held up her small personal communication unit. "I turned if off," she stated matter-of-factly.

Zara nodded understandingly, "of course."

"What does he want?"

"I don't know, he refused to tell me. He seemed very upset that he couldn't contact you."

Breha smiled and turned toward a large window that looked out onto the gardens, "I bet he did."

Zara approached the queen and stood beside her, "Should I tell him that you are indisposed at the moment?"

She would have liked nothing more than to refuse the meeting, she wondered how far he would have gone to go get her. Would he have eventually sent stormtroopers to retrieve her? Breha did not want to know the answer to that question. Refusing the meeting was childish and unproductive; if she were to rebel against him, it would be over something of substance. "No, I'll meet him."

Zara silently followed the queen as she made her way to the conference room. Breha was surprised to not see Malix visibly upset by her lateness, instead she found him staring out the window. When he heard her arrive, he turned around and flashed the sickeningly annoying grin that she hated so much, "Your Highness, I'm so glad that you could join me. Please come in."

"What do you need Governor Malix?"

"You know, one thing I've noticed about you is that you rarely stop and take the time for social pleasantries." His tone was curious, and not that of a rebuke. "It's always just business with you. I've been here for nearly a week and we know so little of each other."

For Breha, the conversation was headed in a very disturbing direction. "Is that why you wanted me here?" She was finding it very hard to disguise the hate in her voice.

Malix turned back to the window for a moment and then back returned his gaze to the queen. "No, unfortunately we must discuss business today. Although, I do hope that someday we can get to know one another better. I mean, we will have a long-term working relationship. I find that some social contact outside of official duties tend to smooth the rough patches that inevitably develop when two beings work together. Of course, that will have to wait for another time."

"Why did you ask me here?" The last thing Breha wanted was to "get to know" this disgusting little man even more than she already did. What little she knew of him was enough for her to loathe him with every fiber of her being.

"Your Highness, as you are well aware, the transition to direct Imperial rule has not been as smooth as I would have liked it. Sure, there have been few incidents, but I get the feeling that your people are inwardly resistant to the change."

_He wants to control their hearts and minds, as well as their bodies!_ Breha did not know how to answer at that moment. All her early political and rhetorical training left her, she was stunned silent. Most Imperial governors would have been content with the people not publicly speaking against the Empire and not causing any trouble. She never imagined that would not be enough for Malix.

Finally, her voice returned to her. "Governor, it is hard to know a person's inward motivations. No one can control someone's mind. The people of Alderaan have not, as a whole, resisted direct Imperial control. We are a peaceful people."

Malix sighed dramatically, "Yes, but inward resentment often breeds outward rebellion; opposing the Empire is very dangerous. I know that you do not want to see your people suffer, and I don't want that either. Over the last week, I have come to like the people of Alderaan; they're such a simple people. I don't want to see anything happen to them."

Breha was finding it hard to breath, let along think and speak. In the space of just a few sentences, he had threatened and insulted her people. _I must think, I cannot let him get the better of me._ "My people are no threat to the Empire."

"At this stage, I'm afraid that I disagree with you on that point, Your Highness." Malix turned back to the large window and motioned her over. "Come closer please, I want to show you something."

Reluctantly, the queen walked over and stood next to the governor. "What is it?"

The window looked out onto a public area, it was one of the few windows in Aldera Palace that did. At the moment, the view from the window was of school children playing in a public square. Malix pointed to them, "Do you see those children out there?" Without waiting for an answer, the governor continued, "When I see them, I see the future of the Empire. The problem is this, with the state of things on this planet right now. I fear, with the way things are going now, they will not maximize their potential as productive members of Imperial society. With this great opportunity that I've been given by our gracious Emperor, I want to change that."

Breha was not sure which was worse, a governor that was a crass political opportunist or one who was a true believer in the Empire. Malix truly believed every word that spewed from Palpatine's mouth. Unlike the other governors, he did not see his position as only a way to make it closer to the top of the Imperial military latter, Malix saw it as a way to spread Imperial ideals and fashion a society using those principles. "How to you plan to do that?"

"As we've discussed before, education is key to this grand endeavor. The new curriculum should be in place in all Alderaanian schools within a month. That's not enough though, this is where you come in. The people love you, and I can see why; I think if their beloved queen publicly speaks in favor of Imperial rule and maybe goes with me on a few local diplomatic missions where we could talk directly to the people of Alderaan, it would go a long way to help Alderaan's transition."

The queen had no idea how to respond without loudly cursing this wretched man. It took her a few moments to calm down before she could speak intelligently. If she refused, she would be seen as rebellious and her people might suffer for it. If she complied, her people would definitely suffer for it; but the suffering would not be physical. Alderaan and her would lose no matter what she chose.

Breha decided she had to stall. "Governor, as you know, after the death of my husband I'm in my official period of mourning. I can't make any public speeches or go to any public events, it is tradition."

Malix smiled, "of course, I know this will come after the month is over. Many things will change after you come out of mourning. Then, you will be key in gaining Imperial support on this planet."

Breha was angry that he had already assumed that she would relent to this. She knew she could not do it, her principles were too important to her. She knew she would never be able to look herself in the mirror if she participated willingly in any of Malix's schemes. She was glad, however, she would not have to confront him now. The grief was too near for her to fight anything right now.

She did not respond to Malix's plan, she wanted to leave the room desperately. "Is there anything else you need. I have a lot I need to be doing."

"I know, you have a funeral to plan. Oh, by the way, I received your handmaiden's request for a certain art dealer to the palace for you to select new pieces for the funeral."

"What is your answer?"

"I will allow it, but he will not be without a stormtrooper escort at all times. You will not be alone with him."

_Oh no!_ If he was escorted, there would be no way for them to speak freely. She knew that there was nothing she could do, the meeting would still go on as planned. "Thank you."

Malix flashed another smile in Breha's direction. "Your Highness, after the funeral and after the mourning period, things will change greatly between us; I know that. I just want to say, you will not be alone long."

Breha wanted to vomit; she knew exactly what this man was implying and it sickened her to think about it. She could not speak, she just turned and left the pleased governor to his own wretched thoughts.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7:**_

It had been nearly two weeks since Leia's world collapsed, to be replaced by her new existence on the _Devastator._ Her former existence as High Princess of Alderaan seemed like a lifetime ago. She was still orbiting her former home planet of Alderaan while her father remained to oversee the planet's transition to direct Imperial governance.

Her father, she still had not called the black armor clad man by that title, even though he had ordered her to do so. It was not that she did not believe his claim, Leia knew with every fiber of her being that he was telling the truth. She just could not say the word, yet. In her heart, Bail Organa was her father, even though Vader would be angry with her if she expressed these feelings.

Every since she had been moved to her new quarters, Leia's days were all the same. Promptly at 0700, she would be awoken by a protocol droid that had been assigned to her. Then, the droid would supervise and assist as she groomed and dressed for the day. At 0800, a breakfast tray would be brought to her. Then, at 0900, her academic tutoring sessions would begin.

Vader had assigned one of the ship's commanders to be in charge of Leia's tutoring. He had experience with teaching; he had been a lecturer for a few years at the Imperial Academy before he was re-assigned to the _Devastator_. He had been instructed by Vader to challenge her, but the commander had been warned that his life would meet a slow and violent end if he was any way harsh with Leia.

Among other things, it was Commander D'Sal's duty to correct the "gaps" in the education that Leia received on Alderaan. Her lessons on mathematics, literature, and science were given to her via computer instruction while D'Sal supervised. Then, he would lecture her on history and governance; specifically, the Empire's perspective of those subjects. She was an eager student, she devoured any information she was given.

D'Sal did note that she was more than a little reluctant to accept the Empire's version of certain events in history because it was different than what she learned from her tutors on Alderaan, but he assured Vader that she would eventually come around.

Her tutoring sessions would continue most of the day, with only one break for a midday meal. The sessions would end promptly at 1600 when her protocol droid would take her for a walk in designated areas around the ship. The crew was well aware of Leia's presence. Just days after her arrival, the rumors about the purpose of the little girl's presence were getting out of hand. Some even speculated that she was there to satisfy Vader's deviant appetites. The body of the asphyxiated crewmember that started that rumor was found hours later at the base of a maintenance shaft.

Still, the out-of-control rumors caused Vader to issue a short ship-wide decree announcing that the small girl was his daughter and would be treated with the same respect that they would give to him. He also added that if any additional rumors surfaced concerning the girl that he would be "most displeased." Ever since the decree, any crewmember that passed Leia in the ship's corridors would go out of their way to show respect to her.

After her walk and dinner, the rest of the evening would be spent with her father. Part of Leia always dreaded 1830, when Vader would arrive; but a growing part of her was fascinated by the man that was her biological father. At first, she had been terrified of him and still was, to a point. However, he always spoke to her about the most fascinating of subjects.

He would sometimes ask her about her lessons and quiz her over what she had learned that day, but most of the time he would tell her about the Force. The more he spoke to her about the Force, the more she wanted to know more about it. Her lessons in the Force had not been very extensive as of yet; Vader had taught Leia to meditate and had begun to teach her about the history of the Sith, but he had not gone into great detail over Sith philosophy. Like her regular studies, her mind yearned for more knowledge about the Force. She could not believe that there was a time in her life when she could not access it.

The door to her quarters opened promptly at 1830 and Vader strode into the room. She stood before him, not wanting him to see any nervousness. He looked down at her and greeted her the same way he always did. "Greetings my daughter, I trust you had a productive day."

Leia cringed inwardly and was very angry the first few times that he had called her that, but she was slowly getting used to it. "Hello, I had a good day."

"Was it productive? What did you learn?"

Vader escorted Leia into the adjacent training room as she explained what Command D'Sal taught her that day. "I learned about the governing structure of the Empire. The Emperor is head of state, and you are his second in command in control of the military. The Moff Council report directly to the Emperor and the Senate advises the Emperor."

"Very good, my daughter. Do you understand why that system is much better than the old Republic?"

Leia knew the answer that her father expected; it was what D'Sal had drilled into her earlier. "The commander told me that the bureaucrats and special interest groups had too much control over the Senate and that cost many lives during the Clone War."

Vader nodded, "Are you telling me this because you know that is what I want to hear; or do you really understand?"

Father and daughter entered the training room and, as per custom, Leia knelt down in a meditative pose. "Now the Empire is ruled by one person. What if he makes a mistake; no one can tell him that he's wrong."

Vader knelt down in front of her with the same stance. Leia was afraid that he would be angry with her for asking such questions, but he was not. As her time with him increased, his emotional state was becoming easier to detect. "The Emperor is wise, young one. We cannot go back to the chaos of the Republic. In time, you will understand this."

Leia nodded, "Yes Sir."

She could sense a sudden spike of annoyance when she called him that. She knew that he wanted her to call him "father," but she was not ready. Fortunately, he did not make an issue of it at the moment. "Let us meditate."

Leia closed her eyes as she let go of her surroundings and went into the Force. Her father had been impressed by how easily she had learned to let go of her conscious self. As usual, she felt Vader's touch upon her mind. At first this was the part that she hated the most, but over the last few training sessions she had become used to having him inside her head, guiding her meditation.

_"Think on these words, my daughter: Peace is a lie, there is only passion."_

As she was in the Force, images and memories began to flash before her. She remembered being told many times by her adopted parents that she must be calm when she was upset about something. They never understood that she did not want to be calm, she wanted to express her anger and frustration.

Leia felt a stronger touch on her mind, she knew her father did not like her thinking about her adopted parents but the expected mental rebuke did not come. _"Yes, they did not want you to express your anger because they wanted to weaken you. They knew your heritage, my daughter, and they did not want you to become strong. They wanted to control you. Anger and passion should never be suppressed; those things will only make you stronger. Through the Force, I want you to repeat the first tenet and let it's wisdom take hold."_

Leia knew that her mother would not like this teaching, but her mother was far away and could not help her. She was intrigued by the idea of not having to suppress her emotions; it was something Leia was never very good at. However, she was uncomfortable repeating what her father told her. As she resisted, his mental hold became even stronger. _"Peace is a lie, there is only passion."_

_"Through passion, I gain strength."_

She wondered what kind of strength he was referring to. She was always taught that strength was sticking to your convictions through adversity. Somehow, Leia believed that her father was meant something much more. _"What kind of strength?"_

If she could have seen Vader's face, she would have seen his brief smile at her question. _"Oh, my daughter, you have no idea of what you can accomplish through the Force. The Force gives you unimaginable strength. The others who cannot touch the Force are inconsequential; we are above them. The Force, through our passion, gives us the strength to rule over them. Now, repeat!"_

Her father's teachings were the direct polar opposite of everything she had learned since she was a baby, but she was finding it harder and harder to remember those early teachings. _"Through passion, I gain strength."_

Vader continued his lecture, _"Through strength, I gain power."_

_"Do you mean power to rule?"_

_"Yes, and more. Power is what the Force gives us. I will teach you this power."_

Leia could not help but be mesmerized by the voice inside her head promising to teach her these things. She wondered why her adopted parents wanted her to stay away from him. Were they afraid of her becoming powerful?

In response to her mental questions, through the Force, Leia saw an image of herself grown up and standing next to her father. The gown she was wearing was much finer than anything she had seen her adopted mother wear in the court of Alderaan. They were standing on a high balcony, surrounded by an endless city filled with people. She knew that she and her father ruled over them. She was no longer the cute little princess that no one took seriously—a princess that was to be seen and not heard. She and her father's word was law, and no one challenged them.

Leia knew he expected her to mentally repeat those words. It was becoming easier for her to accept this new teaching. _"Through strength, I gain power."_

Vader was very pleased, she could feel it through their link. He went on to the next tenet of Sith philosophy. _"Through power, I gain victory. There will be those who oppose us, and we must gain victory over them; power leads to ultimate victory. Know and understand this, my daughter."_

The hold on Leia's mind became even stronger, so much that everything seemed to melt away, except her father's voice inside her head. Alderaan did not exist, her adopted parents did not exist; there was nothing but the Force and her father's voice. _"Through power, I gain victory."_

_"Through victory, my chains are broken."_

If Leia was not so deep in her meditations, she would have been aware that her hands were shaking and her breath was speeding up. She was aware that something inside her was changing with every tenet of the Sith code that she was repeating. _"Through victory, my chains are broken."_

Leia felt the hold over her mind decrease as Vader guided her out of meditation. She opened here eyes to find his hands protectively covering her own. Perspiration was coming off of her face and she felt as if she had been running for hours; she was exhausted.

Vader kept his hold on her hands as he spoke audibly the final tenet of the Sith code, "The Force shall free me."

Leia looked straight into her father's mask; she could still feel his mind inside hers but not as strong as before. "The Force shall free me."

Vader stood up, leaving Leia still kneeling on the floor of the training room. "Very good, my daughter. You are progressing nicely."

Slowly, Leia stood up; her exhaustion was increasing so much that standing was a great challenge. "I still feel you inside my head."

"Of course you do; we are linked, you and I. Through that link, I will make you strong, I promise you that."

Leia nodded, too tired to ask any more questions. She could not believe she was this sleepy, she believed it was still early evening. Looking around the room to the wall chrono, she was shocked to see that it was nearly 2300. She could not believe that she had been in meditation for over four hours; it seemed like just minutes.

Seeming to pick up on his daughter's surprise, Leia could feel her father's amusement through the bond. "In the Force, my daughter, time has no meaning." He took her hand and led her out of the training room. "I must leave, and you must go to sleep. 0700 will come quickly. We have much to do in the days to come."

* * *

The funeral was scheduled for the next day; Breha could hardly pay attention as her handmaidens asked her questions regarding the gown and hairstyle she wanted to wear. It did not matter; nothing mattered to her. Every one and every thing she cared for had been taken from her. First her daughter, then her husband, and last her rule as queen had been usurped by the hated Moff Malix. Breha wanted to throw her handmaidens out of her chambers, along with those hated mourning clothes, but she could not find the energy.

Her husband's body had been in a stasis chamber for nearly two weeks awaiting the funeral. Malix had agreed to allow a small ceremony for a limited number of family and friends. After much wrangling, he finally agreed on the guest list two days prior.

She still remembered with burning hatred what he told her the day he gave his approval. _"I hope that this service gives you the closure that you need. You will learn that no matter how bad things seem, there will always be a new day on the horizon and new possibilities to discover."_ Breha knew exactly what he meant by "new possibilities," and it sickened her to think about that. She was perfectly aware what he was planning once her month-long mourning period was over.

"My Queen," the voice of the head handmaiden distracted Breha from all thoughts of Malix, and for that she was most grateful. "We will be going now, your gown will be ready for the funeral."

Breha turned to see the rest of the handmaidens leaving her chambers, "Tell them thank you for me." Zara nodded and turned to leave as well, but the queen stopped her. "Wait, please stay."

"Yes, My Queen."

"When is Jesko Sarin due to arrive?" It had taken days since Moff Malix's initial approval of Sarin to visit the palace, for a definite appointment to be made. Even though he was approved, Malix wanted a few more background checks to be performed. Finally, only one day before the funeral of the man the purchased artwork was supposed to honor, he was finally scheduled to arrive.

"He'll be here in four hours."

Breha knew that her most loyal handmaiden was aware there was much more to the meeting than artwork, but not the specific reason. The queen decided that it was time to confide in someone, and there was no one better than her head handmaiden and her truest friend. "Zara, I need to tell you something. You are aware that it must remain between us. I will give you the choice, however. Telling you this may put you in a very precarious position. Can I confide in you?"

Zara gently grabbed Breha's hand in a gesture of support. "Yes, you can confide in me; you can trust me. My Queen, I know there is something going on and it has to do with Jesko Sarin."

Breha wiped a tear from her eye and nodded, "Yes, it does. Zara, one of the last thing my husband told me the last time I saw him was to contact this man. He told me that he had something to give me and not all hope was lost. I know my husband would not have told me that if this thing Sarin was to give me wasn't important."

"I agree."

"Bail knew that he would be killed, but maybe the hope he was speaking of was for Leia." It was not known to the rest of Alderaan that Leia had been taken from the Organas' custody, but the palace staff was well aware and were harshly warned by Malix not to reveal this fact to the public.

Zara nodded, "That is a reasonable assumption, My Queen."

"I'm not certain if it is a reasonable assumption, but it is the only ray of light that I can see right now. If nothing comes from this, I don't know how I will be able to go on knowing that Leia will forever be in the hands of Darth Vader and I'll be able to do absolutely nothing about it." Breha broke down and began weeping. All her emotional restraint was gone, she could not hold it in for any longer.

Even though it was a huge breach of handmaiden protocol, Zara embraced the queen. She held her in her arms, offering what support she could, while Breha continued to weep. It was not until the queen's sobs stopped shaking her that the handmaiden spoke. "My Queen, we will meet with this man and see what it is your husband wanted to give you."

"Oh Zara, you heard Malix; he will have a stormtrooper escort with him at all times. We will not be able to speak freely."

"That is true, but if this man truly has information for you. I feel that he has thought about such things as a stormtrooper escort. Have faith, My Queen. You cannot give up now."

Breha broke away from her friend's comforting embrace. "Zara, I fear I put you in grave danger by telling you this; I've very sorry."

"We handmaidens know how to stay out of the way of attention. If something does happen, however, I am loyal to you and I'm loyal to Alderaan. Don't worry about my personal safety; you have enough to think about."

Breha nodded as she stood up, "What should I do if this man is not bringing a miracle?"

"My Queen, just focus on the meeting, and then focus on getting through the next hour, and then the next. I, and the rest of your staff and advisors will be there to help. You will never be alone; you are among friends."

* * *

Leia was coming along quite nicely, Vader was very pleased with her progress as he entered his hypobaric chamber and the droids began taking off his suit for maintenance. He was amazed by how much raw power the girl had; once she was trained she would be unstoppable. It was that reason that Vader was very glad she was discovered early. She would learn loyalty to him, and him alone, from an early age when she could be easily controlled.

He knew there were still challenges with Leia's training; for one, she still loved the Organas and missed them greatly. When he first took Leia from Alderaan, he only hated Bail Organa and that hatred was still very much alive, despite the man's death. However, at first he did not think much about the queen's role in all of this; but as time went by, he began to hate Queen Breha as well. In Leia's mind, this woman was her mother. When his daughter thought about her mother, she should have been visualizing Padmé's face and not the face of the Alderaanian queen.

_Padmé_—Leia was very much like her, so much that it nearly frightened him. She looked like her and many of her mannerisms were exactly like his dead wife's. At the thought of Padmé, the dark side seemed to whisper in his head, _"Leia will betray you just like your wife betrayed you."_

At the reminder of Padmé's betrayal, Vader's anger surged. _I should have taken her with me. I shouldn't have gone to Mustafar without making sure she was away from Kenobi's influence. I should have locked her up until I returned. If I'd done that, she'd still be with me and Leia would never have grown up without her true parents._

He thought of Leia; the dark side's whisper that she would betray him, like her mother, fueled his rage. _She will not have the chance to betray me. It was my weakness that gave Padmé her chance, but I will not make the same mistake with my daughter. She will be loyal to me, she will not have the choice to do otherwise._

A tone from his communicator sounded, and Vader angrily accepted the visual communication. Because his suit had been taken off by the maintenance droids, the visual was one sided only. The one on the other end could only hear Vader's voice. "What is it?"

The image of Moff Malix smug visage filled the view screen. Vader knew very little about the man who was given the governance of Alderaan. It mattered little to the Sith who the Emperor chose to rule this planet. "Lord Vader, I trust everything is going well."

Vader did not dignify that with a response. "Your report, governor."

Malix's carefully constructed expression faltered when he heard Vader's command. "Yes...yes, of course. There are some pockets of resistance, mostly protest marches. Troops have been sent to disburse them and arrest their leaders. We may require more troops; these Alderaanians are a stubborn lot. It may be a while before they accept direct Imperial rule."

"Then you will have to make these recalcitrant people understand the consequences of defying Imperial rule."

"Yes, Lord Vader, I will." Malix hesitated before continuing, "Is my request for more troops approved?"

"It is approved, the additional troops will be temporary though. It is up to you and the garrison assigned to keep the people under control."

Malix smiled again, this time his nervousness was showing through the plastered expression. "Thank you Lord Vader. Alderaan will be a model Imperial world very soon. There are just a few rough patches that need to be ironed out."

"See that you do." Vader's annoyance with this man was growing by exponentially with each passing second; he was quickly tiring of this conversation.

"How long will your flagship be orbiting?"

Vader knew that he was going to have to leave Alderaan soon, but he was very hesitant to do so. The second he left, he would have to return to Imperial Center and bring Leia before his master. This was not something Vader wanted to do this soon. He knew there was no way to get around it, but he wanted more time with her before she met the Emperor.

There was a great possibility that the Emperor would take Leia from his custody to either kill her or train her himself. Leia was a weapon that his master could end up wielding against him. Vader needed to figure out a way to convince the Emperor to allow him to continue Leia's training in her father's custody.

Vader knew Leia was destined to be by his side, and to be his instrument. They would join forces and destroy his master and he would reign with his daughter by his side. It would be years before she was ready; but when she was, she would be a force to be reckoned with and she would be loyal to him and him alone. He would make certain of that.

"For now, the _Devastator_ will remain in orbit to quell any problems that may develop." Vader did not give the governor any idea how long he would remain, mainly because he did not know himself.

Malix nodded nervously, "Yes, Lord Vader. I do not believe your direct assistance will be needed. I will keep the people under control."

"See that you do, the Emperor does not take failure lightly."

* * *

Uneventful was the word to best describe Queen Breha's meeting with Jesko Sarin. She, with her head handmaiden along, had been discussing art for the past hour all under the supervision of two stormtroopers.

Sarin was a plain, intellectual looking man in his mid-fifties; Breha thought that he looked exactly like one would think a dealer in art and antiques would look like. He began by offering his many condolences and telling the queen that the senator would be very much missed by the people of Alderaan.

Breha was not sure what she expected out of this meeting. She knew that they had to be careful with what they said because of the presence of the stormtroopers, but she somehow expected more out of the meeting than an art discussion. This was the man that Bail told her to contact for some reason; and so far it seemed that Sarin was exactly what he claimed to be, an art dealer.

She knew that this man had dealings with Bail, but he did not mention any of them. Her husband was not an art lover; it made no sense that he would have a long-standing working relationship with an art dealer. She'd been to his official residence on Coruscant, the apartment did not have displayed any pieces of art that he'd purchased. None of this made any sense whatsoever.

After an hour of discussion, Sarin recommended a three-hundred year old sculpture, done in the style of Alderaan's classic period, as the perfect piece to honor her husband's great contributions to his people. Breha's disappointment, despair, and hopelessness was so strong that she agreed automatically. This pointless meeting could not end quickly enough for her; she wanted nothing more than to go to bed.

As Sarin was leaving, ignoring all rules of protocol, he gently grabbed her arm and leaned in close. "I know you will be very pleased with the piece I've recommended. You will find it quite surprising. As all true masterpieces are, it is much more than meets the eye."

Breha watched as the man was lead out of the palace by his stormtrooper escort. She wondered what he meant by that last statement; the look he gave her was very odd as well. She did not have much energy to think about it very long; her emotional and spiritual reserves for the day were used up. Even though it was still early afternoon, the queen went to her chambers and turned in for the day. The next day she would have to face her husband's funeral.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8:**_

Leaving Tatooine in a hurry while remaining incognito is harder than one might think, at least that was what Obi-Wan Kenobi was discovering. For over a week he had been looking into discreet exit possibilities, but so far he had found nothing. He hoped that he would not have to steal a ship, but it was beginning to look like that was the only way he was going to get off Tatooine. Stealing a ship was fraught with danger, and it increased his chance of failure. Obi-Wan decided that he would only do it if it was the absolute only way to leave the planet.

Obi-Wan knew the reason why Master Yoda had wanted him to undertake the mission to rescue Leia, but he did not agree with it. He believed that it would be better if he stayed on Tatooine to protect Luke.

He did not want to leave Leia in the hands of Vader, but she was already there and taking her from him would be a nearly impossible task. Obi-Wan knew that she was most likely still on the Sith's Imperial flagship, and one does not just sneak on board a Star Destroyer, grab the second-in-command of the Empire's daughter, and leave without anyone knowing about it. He would have to face hundreds of stormtroopers and Vader to even get to her.

He remembered the last time he had rescued a hostage on board a ship; when the Chancellor was kidnapped by Count Dooku. Hindsight had revealed that the Chancellor was never in real danger as he was actually Dooku's Sith master; and the "kidnapping" was probably only done to score political points and to ease Palpatine's eventual total takeover of the government.

Still, the mission was very dangerous, and he would not have made if it wasn't for... _Anakin._ Obi-Wan wondered if there would ever be a time in his life when thinking about his former apprentice would not fill him with so much pain that he could barely breathe. He wondered if he could ever think back to the good times that they had together without flashing back to the charred and dismembered creature that he had left on Mustafar.

Mustafar. If ever there was a world that Obi-Wan would not have minded wiped from the face of the galaxy, it would have been that one. It was the site of the Sith's greatest victory, and Obi-Wan's greatest failure.

He could still almost feel the oppressive heat of the hellish world that seemed to be made of nothing but lava and ash. Even now, every time he took a deep breath he was reminded of Mustafar. During his short time on the planet, breathing the toxic and scalding air had irreparably damaged his lungs. The damage was minimal and the effect of which seemed only to be pain when taking a deep breath; it served as Obi-Wan's constant reminder of his failure.

Obi-Wan had mined all exit possibilities out of Anchorhead and Mos Eisley, and he could not find anything to suit his needs. He decided to travel to Mos Espa and see if there were more possibilities from that spaceport. By doing this, he would have to leave the vicinity of the Lars homestead for the first time in seven years.

He did not want to leave Luke and his family unprotected, there was too much at stake. He did not want to go, but he knew that Yoda was counting on him to rescue Leia and he had never once disobeyed the ancient Jedi Master.

With his decision made, Obi-Wan traveled to the Lars homestead to inform the couple that he was going to be away for a while. He did not want to tell them the specifics; but he knew they counted on his protection from the sandpeople, even though Owen Lars would rather die than admit it.

Obi-Wan's relationship with Owen had always been strained. It was not long after the couple took Luke into their home that tension between the Jedi and the moisture farmer began to develop. It was small at first, but as time went by, the tension grew to the point where Owen told the Jedi that he did not want him anywhere near Luke.

The Jedi knew that Owen would not be happy to see him today, but he wanted the Lars' to be aware that he was not going to be around for a while. The first sight that greeted him as he approached the homestead was Luke fiddling with one of the moisture condensers. Obi-Wan had not seen Luke up close for over a year and the boy had grown much in such a short time. It nearly took his breath away when he saw him; he looked so much like Anakin.

"Ben! Is that you?" Young Luke smiled brightly and ran as quick as he could to the Jedi. "I can't believe you're here!"

Obi-Wan could not help but smile at the boy's enthusiasm. He was pleased that Luke seemed to be healthy and well-adjusted to his life on Tatooine. This was one thing that the son did not have in common with his father; Anakin was never well-adjusted in any of his surroundings, be it Tatooine or the Jedi Temple. "How are you doing Luke?"

The boy wiped sweat off of his brow, "Great, Uncle says that when I finish checking all of the condensers on this hill that he'll take me riding on the speeder. He might even let me pilot it for a few minutes!"

"You pilot the speeder yourself?"

The boy looked at his feet hesitantly, "well, Uncle Owen only lets me steer. He works the other controls. I want to be a pilot so bad; then I can join the academy!"

_Not this again!_ This was not the first time that Obi-Wan had heard of Luke's desire to join the Imperial Naval Academy, the last time he talked to Luke a year prior the boy had gone on about how he wanted to fly an Imperial fighter someday.

Even though Tatooine was not officially part of the Empire, they had an arrangement with the Hutts to allow them to recruit from the world. Of course, only humans were allowed to join any branch of the Imperial military so most of those recruited came from the homesteads of moisture farmers.

"We'll see young Luke, we'll see." Obi-Wan then changed the subject; the idea of Luke joining the Imperial military was so disturbing that he did not want to hear any more about it. "Where are your Aunt and Uncle? I must speak with them."

"They're at the house. I'll take you there."

Obi-Wan smiled and followed the excited boy. He noticed that, while Luke did look like his father and he had some of the same interests, his personality was nothing like his. For that, the Jedi was very grateful. Unlike Anakin, Luke did not seem to have one bit of anger and resentment in him; something his father, despite his Jedi training, could never get rid of completely. _Until it swallowed him whole._

"Did you know? Aunt Beru is going to have a baby." Luke's announcement broke Obi-Wan out of his thoughts.

"No, I did not know. I'm sure you're happy about that."

"Yes, I'll have a cousin. I'm glad; I don't like being an only child."

_You're not an only child, Luke._ Obi-Wan knew the necessity of keeping the twins separated, but he hated that they would probably never know about each other. The events of the last few weeks had reinforced the necessity of keeping them apart. So far, Vader only knew about Leia. If both of the twins were raised by the Sith, there would be little or no hope left of defeating the Emperor and Vader.

"Kenobi! What are you doing here?" Owen Lars' gruff voice greeted him as he and Luke approached the house. As the moisture farmer came out of the workshed, Obi-Wan could feel the anger coming off of him in waves.

"I must speak with you and Beru."

Own looked down menacingly at his nephew, "Are you finished with what I asked you to do?"

Luke looked down at his feet, "No Sir."

"Well, you best be getting to it then." The Jedi's experience with reading people told him that Luke would most likely pay dearly for Obi-Wan's visit.

The boy frowned and quickly left the two men. Owen went back into the workshed and Obi-Wan followed him. "You shouldn't be so hard on him."

Owen's eyes flashed with fire, "Don't you start telling me how to raise the boy! I'm trying to keep him from turning into his father, something that you of all people should be applauding."

"Punishing him because of your anger and resentment toward me is not the way to do it."

"What do you want, wizard?"

Using the same techniques that had earned him the title of "The Negotiator" a lifetime ago, Obi-Wan remained calm in the face of the other man's rising belligerence. "I need to speak with you and Beru about an important matter."

"Oh no, you're not getting anywhere near my wife. What is so important that you need to tell us?"

"I have to leave Tatooine for a while."

Owen did not respond right away. Obi-Wan knew that the other man was weighing his dislike of him with the knowledge that the Jedi had protected them from the sandpeople in the past and that his family would be without it. "That's great; at least you'll be out of my hair."

"You're leaving!" The sudden entrance of Beru surprised the two men. Obi-Wan turned around to find the very pregnant woman staring at him in shock. "What about the sandpeople?"

"We never needed him, Beru. We did fine before he showed up." Obi-Wan could tell that the loss of the Jedi's protection was frightening to Owen, but he was not about to admit it.

"How can you say that Owen? What about Shmi?"

At the mention of his beloved stepmother, Owen roughly threw down the tool he was using on the hard duracrete surface; the loud clanging of the metal shocked his wife silent. "Go back in the house."

Beru did not argue; his tone demanded immediate obedience. She gave Obi-Wan one last pleading look before she ducked out of the workshed and returned to the house.

Owen sat down hard on the bench and buried his head in his hands, "I shouldn't have done that."

Knowing that he was taking a great risk, Obi-Wan sat down on the bench next to him. "Owen, I will be back as soon as I can. I wouldn't leave if it wasn't so important."

Owen looked up and nodded; his previous belligerence had melted away when he saw the hurt and frightened look on his wife's face. "I know; I may not like you very much, but I know you wouldn't break a promise and run out on us. It's just that the sandpeople have gotten worse in the last ten years and Beru is afraid. She loved my stepmother dearly and has never gotten over losing her like we did."

Obi-Wan knew that Owen had felt the woman's loss greatly as well but was too proud to admit it, especially to him. "The attacks from the sandpeople have gotten worse?"

"Yeah, they've gotten much more aggressive since the massacre."

"Massacre? What happened?"

Owen turned and looked thoughtfully at the Jedi, "Didn't Anakin tell you about it?" He sighed loudly when he saw Obi-Wan confused expression. "I guess he didn't, I shouldn't be surprised. When my stepbrother showed up here a decade ago, Shmi had been gone for nearly a month; taken by the sandpeople."

Obi-Wan nodded, this much of the story he knew. Anakin never talked much about what happened when he disobeyed orders and left his assignment to go to his mother. He had been having dreams about her being in great pain; it turned out they were actually premonitions.

Owen continued, "He went out to go find her; he returned carrying her dead body. For as long as I live I'll never forget the look in his eyes. There was something different about him, different than he was before he left."

Alarm bells began to go off in Obi-Wan's head. He distinctly remembered thinking the same thing about Anakin when they returned to Coruscant after Geonosis. He first attributed it to the death of his mother and the loss of his hand to Count Dooku's saber, but he could not shake the feeling that there was more to it. "How was he different?"

"I can't really explain it, but what I saw in his eyes was more than just grief." Owen paused a moment, lost in thought. He shook himself out of his reverie and continued, "We buried her, and he left very soon after. A few days later someone found the remains of the sandpeople that took Shmi. All of them were dead--every man, woman, and child; all killed by one of your laser swords."

The cold, harsh reality of what Owen Lars was saying crashed over Obi-Wan like a tidal wave. "Children?"

Owen nodded gravely, "Yeah, I went out to see the remnants of the camp after it was found. Kenobi, I'll be honest with you, I've never felt one bit of sympathy for sandpeople in my life. They are thieving and murderous monsters, but I wish I never saw that scene. He even cut down the children as they were running away from the camp, he spared none of them."

Obi-Wan wanted nothing more than to leave and hear no more of this horrific tale, but he could not move. His mind flashed back to the horrific memory of seeing the many bodies of the Jedi younglings that Anakin had ruthlessly cut down in an effort to rid the galaxy of his master's enemies. _They weren't the first children he killed! _

Now he understood; it was this incident that began Anakin's journey down the dark path that led to him to becoming a Sith Lord. It was not only his mother's death that changed him, it was his reaction to it. _If I had known, could I have helped him?_ _Would he have let me?_

"The sandpeople have been even more aggressive ever since." The moisture farmer's voice interrupted Obi-Wan's inner wrestling. "I guess he was so angry that he didn't think about what would happen when the other tribes found out about their fallen brethren."

_He was a Jedi, he should have thought about the consequences of his actions! Was I that much of a failure as a master? Oh Qui-Gon, you should have never trusted me to train him. _

Lost in his own thoughts, Obi-Wan barely noticed as Luke entered the workshed, "Uncle, I finished checking the condensers like you said."

Owen stood up; his demeanor with the boy was much softer than before. "All right Luke, you go get washed up. After lunch, we'll take that drive that I promised you."

"Yippee!" The exuberant boy quickly ran out of the shed toward the house.

Owen turned back to the Jedi still sitting on the workbench. "How long will you be gone?"

Obi-Wan released his feelings of regret and remorse into the Force and stood up. "I don't know, it shouldn't be too long. If something happens to me, you will be contacted by someone I trust very much. I need your word that you will do what he says."

Knowing that the Jedi was very serious, Owen nodded in agreement. "I promise."

* * *

The funeral was very quick, something that Breha was grateful for. She had no need for ceremony, her husband was dead and no amount of burial rituals were going to comfort her. The main attendees of the funeral was the palace staff, the few remaining family members she had left had not been allowed to attend. It did not matter to her; she did not think that she could stand being around any more people today. 

Beside her stood the last person she wanted to see today, Moff Malix. He had not left her side since the beginning of the ceremony and had spent most of the day giving her, what he thought, were sympathetic gestures and expressions of sympathy. Of course, he never failed to keep reminding her that her late husband was a traitor to the Empire.

Finally, the holy man finished the ceremony and the attendees were dismissed. The room emptied out, save for Breha and the Imperial Governor. The queen wished that he would give her some space, but he would not even allow her one moment reprieve from his presence.

"You're Highness, I'm glad that I allowed this funeral. You know, I spoke to a few of my colleagues on the Moff Council and they thought I was insane for allowing a traitor to be honored in this manner, but I disagree. Closure is so important to loved ones of the deceased."

Breha knew that if the situation was different, she would be seething over Malix's words, but she did not have the energy.

When the queen did not respond, Malix pressed on, "I did not have to allow it, but I knew how important it was to you."

_Does he actually want me to thank him for this?_ Hoping it would shut him up, Breha gave him what he wanted. "It was important, thank you."

Through the corner of her eye, she could see his smile that she hated so much. "I know you did not think much of me at first, Your Highness, but I hope that this shows you that I am not an evil man and I do have yours and Alderaan's best interests at heart. I wake up every morning thinking about how I can improve the lives on this planet, especially yours."

The queen had to escape this room; she could not stand to hear any more of this. She turned to him, "Moff Malix, it has been a very long day. I will retire for the evening."

The governor's smile faltered for a moment; Breha could see a flash of anger come over him before he quickly recovered. "Of course, Your Highness, I know this has been a trying day for you."

She turned to leave, only to be followed by Malix. He held out his arm for her to take, "I will escort you; I don't want you to have to walk the palace alone, especially in your condition."

The queen looked down at the waiting arm that the hated governor wanted her to take. She wished so badly that someone would come in and rip the offending appendage off of his body. Only a few weeks ago, she would have been shocked and disturbed by the violence and vitriol of her thoughts; but she was not the person she was then.

Seeing her hesitation, Malix moved closer to the queen and linked his arm with hers before she had a chance to protest his intrusion into her personal space. "Come, My Lady."

Breha sighed in resignation; she supposed that she could have acted outraged at his behavior, but she did not think that it would have made one bit of difference. As they began the long walk to the other end of the palace, the queen tried to tune out Malix's chattering. He was speaking about the Imperial efforts to reform Alderaan's school curriculum, but she did not catch any of the specifics.

The queen was not feeling well; her head was pounding and she felt very weak. Her condition was not only a result of her emotional state, it was physical. For the last six months, Breha had begun to mysteriously weaken. She never told Bail, knowing that he would worry too much about it while he was away on Coruscant. Over the last few weeks, however, her weakness had been accompanied by horrendous headaches.

Malix, sensing that he did not have Breha's complete attention, stopped, "Your Highness, I know this has been a rough day, but you should give me the respect I deserve as a personal representative of the Emperor. Personal matters should not supercede one's duty."

The queen was not sure what she hated the most about what Malix said to her, the substance of what he said or the parental tone in which he said it. He was speaking to her like she was a child. Her calm outward demeanor snapped. "Governor, the Empire showed up at my doorstep, took my daughter, killed my husband, and took away my right to lead my people. The very least you can do is save the lectures for another day."

The room seemed to get colder as the Moff reacted to Breha's words. The false caring and compassion was gone, replaced by hard anger. In a way, this was something that the queen was glad to see; she was finally seeing the real Moff Malix, not the politician. "I wanted to make this easy for you, my dear. You know that I have the authority to make this extremely difficult for you and your people."

Breha knew the truth of what he was saying. So far, Alderaan had not had it as bad as other planets when direct Imperial rule was forced upon them. "You're saying that if I don't give you everything you want, Alderaan will suffer."

Malix leaned into her, just inches from Breha's face. He smiled again; this time the smile was so cold that it chilled her to the bone. "You don't understand, my dear; you have no choice in the matter. What you don't give me, I can very well take and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it." He reached out and caressed her face.

Breha quickly recoiled from his touch; the exact words were not said out-loud but she knew exactly what Malix was referring to. She felt very alone. She wished that she had guards, or even her handmaidens with her, but she knew they would pay with their lives if they defended her. With her last reservoir of strength and bravery quickly emptying, Breha backed away from Malix. "You wouldn't dare."

The governor laughed, "I don't think it will have to come to that. I'm confident that you will eventually see reason. My dear, I am a man of my word. I told you that I would give you a month to mourn your traitor husband and I will keep that promise. After that, in return, I will expect your full cooperation on all governmental matters." Malix reached out and grabbed the queen's hand. "The other things, I'm sure, will fall into place with time."

* * *

Mos Espa was not as large as Mos Eisley. As Tatooine spaceports went, it was fairly typical; it was filled with crime, prostitution, and a general sense of unease. He had been here before, years ago during his last mission with Qui-Gon; but he had remained with the ship and never saw the city. It was that mission when the Jedi master met Anakin Skywalker. 

Obi-Wan wondered how different the galaxy would have been if Qui-Gon had chosen another junk shop to look for ship parts, or went to another of Tatooine's cities. The Jedi recalled that it was him who suggested they go to Tatooine to repair their ship. _If I didn't, the Order would still be alive._

He shook his head to clear his thoughts; regret would not do Leia any good. There would be plenty of time for that later, if he survived. He needed to focus on his mission to rescue the girl.

The Jedi had been scouting Mos Espa's taverns for freelance pilots for the last two days; so far he had not found a ship that would suit his purposes. With much reluctance and regret, Obi-Wan realized that stealing a ship was probably the only way he was going to be leaving this Force-forsaken planet.

He decided to wait until nightfall to make his move, when the spaceport would be less busy and his very illegal activities would be covered under the cloak of darkness. Obi-Wan had been waiting in one of Mos Espa's many seedy pubs for over three hours when he felt a major disturbance in the Force.

It was not like the disturbance he felt when Leia was reclaimed by her father. That disturbance was intense, but it still felt very far away. Obi-Wan could feel that the source of this one was close. Something very bad was happening on Tatooine.

Closing his eyes, Obi-Wan reached deep into the Force to seek out more details. It had to be a Force-sensitive. Only the emotional distress of someone strongly connected to the Force could cause such a disturbance.

_Luke!_ Obi-Wan realized that it had to be the boy. Only someone of his raw power could have caused this kind of reaction in the Force. Something horrible had happened to him. The Jedi left the bar and ran to catch a planetary shuttle back to Anchorhead.

In the back of his mind, Obi-Wan was aware that whatever happened would delay his mission to rescue Leia, but it did not matter to him at the moment. He could not abandon the boy that he swore to watch over.

Hours later, on a speeder he had stolen in Anchorhead, the Jedi finally made it to the Lars' homestead, or what was left of it. All of the equipment had been stripped from the property and all the buildings had been burned. Obi-Wan knew that Luke was still alive somewhere; he would have known it if the boy had been killed.

Through the Force, he felt a very faint presence close to him. He searched the homestead for the source of it. He found it; it was Owen Lars buried under a pile of debris.

Owen was barely conscious and the Jedi knew that he had little time remaining. He had been beaten severely and burned almost beyond recognition. Obi-Wan had to fight to not think about the last man he saw in this condition. Owen looked up and spoke weakly, "Must find them."

Obi-Wan knelt down next to the man, "What happened?"

"Sandpeople, they attacked. They took Beru and Luke, you must find them." Owen could barely speak.

_I left them without protection!_ "Which way did they go? Do you know?"

Owen struggled to take one last breath. "North...Go get them." Those were the last words of Owen Lars. The Jedi barely had time to note the man's passing before he ran to his stolen speeder. He had to rescue Luke; Obi-Wan hoped he would get to him in time.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9:**_

Obi-Wan wished that he had stolen a faster speeder. The one that he had taken was old and not as fast as he needed it to be. There was little time, he knew that the Sandpeople usually kept their prisoners alive for a while before they killed them, but there was no guarantee of that. The Jedi tried not to think about the many stories he had heard over the years about the Sandpeople's brutality to those they capture. He could not allow that to be a distraction.

Obi-Wan hoped that the Force was with him, he certainly would need it to rescue Beru and Luke. He would have to be silent; he could not just run into the camp swinging his lightsaber and hope to rescue them. He did not know how many Tuskens there were in this camp; despite his abilities, Obi-Wan believed that defeating the entire camp would be beyond his skill.

_Anakin destroyed an entire camp._ The reminder of his former padawan's first descent into darkness felt almost like a physical blow. Ever since Owen had told him what had happened over a decade ago, Obi-Wan's could not stop thinking about it. Regret and remorse had been his constant companions during his exile, but this new information made it much worse. _I was with him for years after that and I didn't see it!_

_I can't do this now._ Obi-Wan released all distractions into the Force and focused on his upcoming task. He knew if Qui-Gon was there, he would tell him to be mindful of the moment and listen to the Living Force.

During his time on Tatooine, after he learned how to communicate with his transcended master, Qui-Gon had taught him more about the Living Force and he had become much more receptive to that teaching than he was while he was a padawan. However, there were still many things about it that he did not understand.

In the distance he could see the Tusken's campfires burning to ward off the desert night's chill. He stopped his speeder and hid it behind a rock, going any closer on a speeder would guarantee his discovery by the Sandpeople.

He had to be quick, and silent; there was no room for failure. If he failed, all would be lost. Pushing all distractions, guilt, sadness, and worry out of his mind, Obi-Wan opened himself up to the Force for direction. After a few moments of meditation, he suddenly felt completely at peace. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Force was with him.

Silently, he sneaked toward the camp. His first test came when he approached one of the outlying tents. Using the Force, Obi-Wan masked his presence and no one saw or heard him as he made his way toward where he felt Luke's presence the strongest.

As he came closer, he could tell that the boy was in some physical pain, but it was not severe. What he sensed above everything was Luke's emotional distress, and it was immense. It was so overwhelming that Obi-Wan had to call on all he learned as a Jedi to stay focused on his mission.

He used his lightsaber to cut a hole in the tent where he felt Luke's presence the most. There was thankfully no one guarding the inside of the tent. What Obi-Wan found inside the small room nearly broke his Jedi composure. Tied to a rack in a cruciform position was a beaten and bruised, almost beyond recognition, Beru Lars.

"Ben, is that you?" Came a small and shaking voice from the corner of the room.

Obi-Wan turned to see Luke also tied up, but thankfully there were very few bruises. The Tuskens saved all of their brutality for the woman, it seemed. "I'm here to get you Luke."

"What about Aunt Beru?" Tears of panic began to form in Luke's small, blue eyes.

The Jedi moved to where Beru was hanging. He untied her bindings and carefully laid her down on the floor. _She's alive, but not for long._ Even though the woman was badly injured, Obi-Wan could sense that the life within her remained relatively unharmed, but the child would not survive long while still inside its dying mother.

"Ben, please make her better. You have to!"

Obi-Wan knew that the boy's tearful pleadings would be of no use. Beru Lars would be passing on to the Force very soon. He was rudely reminded that the last time a Skywalker had been in a Tusken tent, he had lost his mother as well. Beru may not have been related to Luke in any way biologically; but in all ways that mattered to the boy, she was his mother.

The proper thing to do for the mission would be to grab Luke and escape, leaving Beru. She was going to die, and there was nothing Obi-Wan could do about it. Taking her with them out of the Tusken camp would increase their risk of being discovered. As he looked into the pleading eyes of Luke, he knew that he could not do the proper thing for the mission and leave Beru and her child behind. _If I can't save Beru, I'll do what I can to save her baby. I owe her and Owen that much._

Obi-Wan quickly untied Luke and told him to be completely silent. The Sandpeople had not been alerted to their presence, but the Force was warning him that his time was running out.

He gently picked up Beru, and left the tent. There were still guards around, so Obi-Wan had to conceal the entire group with the Force. He was very relieved that Luke was wisely remaining silent; a loud enough sound could break through his concealment. Silently, he led Luke, while carrying Beru, through the camp into the outskirts.

Just when Obi-Wan thought that maybe they would get away unnoticed, he heard a series of loud wails and screeches coming from the camp. _The Sandpeople must have just noticed that their prisoners are missing._ "Luke, we need to run."

Luke was too shocked to do anything but obey. He ran as fast as he could to keep up with Obi-Wan, and the Jedi slowed his pace to not outrun the small boy. Finally, he saw the speeder in the distance as Obi-Wan looked back to find a group of six Tuskens gaining on them. He knew that this was not going to be solved peacefully.

Obi-Wan deposited Beru in the back seat of the landspeeder that he had "borrowed". "Luke, I want you to duck down underneath the seat and don't come out until I tell you."

"Don't let them kill Aunt Beru!"

_He's not even worried about himself, he's only thinking of her._ "Please Luke, stay down."

Obi-Wan turned back to the direction of the Tuskens and found that they were almost to their position. Pulling out his lightsaber, the Jedi prepared for battle against the creatures.

One of them stopped to fire, and the Jedi easily deflected the shot. What followed was a fairly quick, but intense, fight. He was not going to allow them to take Luke or Beru again. Obi-Wan did have some trouble but in the end the small Tusken group was defeated; the Force was with him.

When he returned to the speeder, he found Luke trying to tend his aunt and not where he was supposed to be. Obi-Wan decided that now was not the time to scold the boy for his disobedience. "She's waking up, Ben."

Obi-Wan looked down to see that Beru's eyes were indeed beginning to flutter somewhat, but the woman was nowhere near out of danger. He glanced back in the direction of the Tusken camp, there would be more coming soon. He knew that he had to get them out of there as soon as possible.

Without a word, Obi-Wan got behind the controls of the speeder and traveled as quickly as he could back to his home for the last eight years. As they were moving, he thought about what he could do for Beru. He was no healer, but he was taught basic Jedi healing techniques when he was a Padawan; he hoped that it would be enough.

The trip to Obi-Wan's hovel did not take long; when they arrived, the Jedi jumped out of the speeder to get Beru. "Luke, go inside and turn on the lights."

The boy seemed confused, "Where's Uncle Owen? Didn't he send you?"

Obi-Wan knew that it was not the time to explain to Luke that his uncle had not survived the attack; that would come later. "Please, do what I say." The child reluctantly complied; he did not want to leave Beru's side.

The Jedi gathered the severely injured woman into his arms and took her inside. When he laid her on his small bed, Luke immediately went to her side. Obi-Wan looked around at his one-room hut. There was nowhere for the boy to go, and he did not want him to have to witness what the Jedi feared would happen to his aunt.

Making a decision, Obi-Wan turned to Luke, "Look at me."

When the boy complied, Obi-Wan went deeply into the Force and sought out Luke's presence. He found it and put the boy into a trance. It was a difficult task to accomplish on a Force sensitive, especially one with as much potential as Luke. However, the fact that he was a child and untrained made things a little easier.

Obi-Wan placed the sleeping Luke in one of his chairs and returned his attention to Beru. Her hold on consciousness was tenuous, and there was no denying that she was fading. The child inside her, however, was fairly healthy. He wondered why the Sandpeople had avoided doing anything that would hurt the baby. _Maybe they wanted to raise it as one of their own._ That practice among Sandpeople was not uncommon when they kidnapped a small child.

"Beru, you and Luke are safe. I'm going to do what I can to help you." He promised her.

For the first time, the woman looked up at her rescuer. Her voice was weak and barely audible, "Obi-Wan, Owen is hurt...find him please."

"I'm sorry, he didn't make it."

The woman closed her eyes momentarily in reaction to the news. A look of anguish crossed her face, "Monsters, all of them."

"Your baby is going to need to be delivered if it is to survive." Obi-Wan was thankful that Beru was at the full term of her pregnancy and would have delivered naturally in a few days anyway. If she could make it through delivery, the baby would have a good chance of survival. "Beru, you are going to need to hold on."

"Luke?"

"Luke is here, he's sleeping."

Beru's gave a look of relief but then another thought crossed her mind. "Can't deliver baby, I'm not in labor."

"That's one thing that I hope I can help you with." First Obi-Wan placed his hands on Beru's pregnant stomach, he knew from his healer training that the baby had to be in the right position to deliver safely. From what he could feel, the child was positioned correctly. He thanked the Force for that small mercy.

His next task was not so easy; he would somehow have to induce Beru's labor. The Force was the only way the Jedi knew to do it. While he was never taught such a technique, Obi-Wan was certain that it was possible.

Putting aside all doubts, the Jedi connected with the Force and concentrated on Beru, specifically on the amniotic sack that surrounded the child. With a mental push, the sack was breached and her labor commenced.

With the Force's help, Beru's labor went quickly. However, the woman's small amount of remaining strength was being sapped away with every push. Mercifully, after only a few hours, the first cries of Owen and Beru Lars' only biological child filled Obi-Wan's small hovel.

"It's a girl." The Jedi wrapped the girl in a blanket and bent down to show the child to her mother. He remembered the last time he had held a dying mother's child in his arms. He hated that history always seemed to repeat itself.

He laid the baby next to Beru. When she saw the child, Obi-Wan knew that her battle to hold on was finished. She smiled weakly, "Beautiful, so beautiful." A few tears began to fall from her eyes. "Take care of them."

"I promise you; they will be cared for."

Obi-Wan felt Beru's relief as she finally gave up her fight. Unlike her husband just hours earlier, she passed peacefully knowing that those she loved the most were safe. The Jedi took the baby from the dead woman's side, and arose from the bed to find Luke still sleeping. Obi-Wan was relieved that the Force induced trance he put on the child was still holding.

He looked around his small hovel regretfully. The Jedi knew that they could not remain there, especially now that he had a newborn to care for. He would need supplies for the baby, especially formula. He looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms and realized that she did not even have a name. "We'll have to do something about that, little one."

All at once, he realized the magnitude of his upcoming tasks. While he had some experience with babies from working in the crèche when he was a padawan, Obi-Wan still had much to learn.

He knew his mission to rescue Leia would have to be postponed. _I may not even be able to attempt a rescue._ He had responsibilities to Luke and to this new baby that unexpectedly came into his life. He did not want to abandon Leia to her Sith father, but he had to consider all things. He could not leave the children that were now his responsibility to go off on a mission that had a high likelihood of failing.

_Do I protect the children that are with me now, or risk everything to save the one child that I probably would not even get anywhere close to? Do I risk two to save the one?_ Obi-Wan knew the answer to that question, it was no. Even if he left Luke and the new baby with someone else, he did not feel right about leaving the job of protection to another. _Owen and Beru are dead because I left them without protection. I will not make that same mistake twice._

With his decision made, Obi-Wan went into action. He bundled a few blankets together and placed them inside an empty trunk, turning it into a baby bed. He moved to where Beru's body was laying and covered it up with a sheet; he would do something about her burial later.

The next task was the worst, he would have to wake Luke up and tell him that his aunt did not survive. Knowing that the longer he waited, the worse it would be, Obi-Wan moved to the chair that Luke was sleeping in and broke the trance.

The boy's eyes sprang open and he looked around in shock. "What happened? Where's Aunt Beru?"

Obi-Wan placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Luke, I'm so sorry, but there was little I could do for her. After she had her baby, she passed to the Force; she did not survive."

Tears of shock and outrage filled Luke's eyes. Through the Force, Obi-Wan could feel Luke's shock, disbelief, grief, and finally anger. "Why?"

"I did what I could, Luke. I'm sorry."

Luke began shaking as wave after wave of emotion hit him. "No! You were supposed to help her!"

In all of Obi-Wan's experience, he had little knowledge on how to deal with a grieving child. When Anakin was dealing with the pain of separation after he became his padawan, the Jedi had told him to let go of the things he feared to lose and to, essentially, get over it. In retrospect, Obi-Wan knew that was the wrong approach; such was the power of hindsight.

Obi-Wan took the boy into his arms and held him as he cried. He did not say much; he allowed Luke to feel the grief. After a few moments, the child's weeping slowed. "Luke, I know this is going to be very hard for you; but there is much we need to do."

Luke looked dazed as he nodded. "Uncle Owen died too?"

The Jedi knew that Luke had picked up on that fact from the Force; he was not surprised. "Yes."

The child looked to the floor as more tears fell down his face. "I didn't check all of the condensers like he said. I told him that I did, but I didn't do the last two. I just wanted to go ride the speeder; I thought that it wouldn't matter. I lied to him, Ben!"

Obi-Wan did not know what to say to Luke's admission. "You made a mistake; he cared for you, and he would have forgiven you had he known."

"I know."

"Luke, you need to stay strong. You have a new cousin that we need to take care of and..." Obi-Wan turned to glance at Beru's covered body, "we need to give your aunt and uncle a proper burial."

Luke wiped his tears. "They would want to be next to Grandfather Cliegg and Grandmother Shmi; their graves are near the house."

"Then we will respect their wishes."

A baby's cry filled the small hovel; Luke quickly turned ran towards its source. "Was it a boy or a girl?"

Obi-Wan took the baby from the small trunk that he turned into a bed and bent down to show Luke. "It's a girl. Do you have any idea what your aunt and uncle wanted to name her?"

The boy shook his head as he stared into the face of his cousin. "No, I never heard them talking about it."

"That is a problem; she cannot go without a name." Obi-Wan thought for a moment, he wished that he had some idea on what the girl's parents would have wanted to name her. He thought about the female names within the Lars family. _The only ones I know are Shmi and Beru. Calling her Beru might be hard on Luke. _Calling her Shmi would present another set of problems. Obi-Wan could not bear giving the girl the name of Anakin's mother. He did not think he could stand one more reminder of his former student.

He thought about the names of the women that he had known throughout the years, but one name rose above the others. He smiled inwardly thinking about how his dearly departed friend would react to having a namesake. "What do you think of Siri?"

Luke shrugged, "Sounds fine, I guess."

"All right, Siri it is."

There was much to do; he had to go into town, with his new charges, to get supplies for the baby. Then, he had to return to burry Owen and Beru. After that, Obi-Wan knew that they would need to leave Tatooine. There was no reason to stay there and it was too dangerous. _It looks like I'll be stealing a ship after all._

* * *

Vader purposefully made his way through the sterile corridors of his flagship to his private communications center. He was not surprised by the communication from the Emperor, but it certainly was not something he wanted to deal with right now. 

Over the weeks that his daughter had been on the _Devastator_, her training had gone remarkably well considering the circumstances. She was willful at times, and she still asked about the Organas despite his displeasure at the topic. The Sith had gone so far as to forbid her to even think about them. Through their link, Vader could usually tell when the child's mind was on them and he punished her accordingly.

The punishment that seemed the most effective was putting Force bindings over her so she could not talk, or even move, for as long as an hour. Leia hated it very much, and always begged him not to do it. During the times when she was immobile, Vader would continue to lecture her about the nature of the dark side.

The punishments did seem to be very effective for her training. After Vader would release her, Leia's anger and outrage at him was a very efficient fuel for the dark side in the child. The Sith wondered how long he was going to be able to use this punishment; she was growing so strong that it would not be long before she would be able to break from his hold. _Then I will devise a stronger form of punishment. _

Vader entered the communications center and activated the Emperor's transmission. As usual, he knelt down in submission, "Yes, my master."

"How is the situation on Alderaan?"

"Moff Malix reports no major concerns; although, he is requesting more troops every day." The new Imperial governor of Alderaan was a thorn in Vader's side. As far as he knew, Malix was completely unqualified to be in charge of anything, let alone one of the most rebellious planets in the Empire. His constant requests for additional troops were a major source of irritation.

"I'll leave the decision for additional troops on Alderaan in your capable hands, Lord Vader."

"Yes, my master." The Emperor rarely gave direct orders concerning the military. From the time Vader entered Sidious' service, he had been in complete control of the military; all decisions concerning troop levels were his to make.

"Excellent, Organa's exposure has sent shockwaves throughout the Empire, especially the Senate. Some of his cohorts have been arrested, and they have provided much useful information to the interrogators." The Emperor smiled, "Eventually, all of the traitorous elements within the Senate will be flushed out."

"There will be none that will oppose us."

"No, none at all, Lord Vader."

Vader waited, he knew from experience that his master's silence did not mean a dismissal. A status report on Alderaan was not the reason why he contacted him; he wondered how long he would have to wait to find out the true purpose of Palpatine's communication. He did not have to wait long.

"How is your daughter's training coming along?"

Vader knew that this was coming, he knew the Emperor enough to know that he would not allow a child of Leia's potential to remain outside of his influence for long. "She is growing very strong in the Force. She will be ready when she comes of age."

The Emperor sneered, "I will be the judge of that. I want you to leave Alderaan immediately and bring her to me; I want to meet this girl."

Even though he knew this day was coming, Vader was not eager to bring his daughter in front of his master. There were too many ways that he could hurt her. The Sith apprentice was hard on Leia during training, but he had never hurt her and he did not want to see it happen.

Vader knew that there was no way around it without committing treason against Lord Sidious, something that he was not ready to do just yet. "It will be done, my master."

"See that it is." Sidious quickly cut off the transmission leaving Vader with his thoughts. _There may be a way that I will still be allowed to train her, I must try. I will not let her go like I did her mother._

* * *

Her door opened promptly at 1830. Leia figured that one could set a chrono by her father's nightly arrivals; he was never early and never late. As usual, she met him at the door. Leia learned early that was one of the many things expected of her as his daughter. 

Leia still had problems with accepting Lord Vader as her father, but the idea was not as frightening as it once was. She learned that there were times when she could actually talk to him, and he seemed to listen; but there were other times when he was quick with punishments if she did not comply with his every demand immediately.

She shivered to think about the punishments. Leia had never liked tight and enclosed spaces since she was very young, but she nearly felt claustrophobic every time her father put her in the Force bindings. Even though she always had full use of her lungs during the punishments, Leia always felt short of breath when she could not move.

The Force bindings were very strange, she could breathe but not talk; and she could not understand how that was possible. _Everything is possible with the Force._ That was something that the former princess had learned early in her time with her father.

"Daughter, was your day productive?"

Leia nodded, "I finished the readings you assigned about the first Sith Lords."

"Very good, we will discus that at a later time."

"Yes."

Vader regarded Leia for a few moments, before she felt a push on her mind. She could feel his presence inside her head, something that she could not get used to. "Yes what?"

Leia knew what Vader wanted; it was something that he had been insisting on more in the last few days. Every time she said it, she felt like she was betraying her adoptive father, Bail Organa; but Leia could not stand another punishment. "Yes, Father."

From their link, she felt her father's approval. He took Leia by the arm and led her to the training room. "There is something we need to discuss. The _Devastator_ is leaving orbit in a few hours and we will be traveling to Imperial Center."

A wave of grief came over Leia. Leaving Alderaan's orbit was one more break from her former life. She felt her father's displeasure at her thoughts through and she quickly concealed them. During her time with Vader, she had learned how to hide certain things. Not everything was able to be hidden, but some things she could keep secret. Leia nodded as she knelt down in a meditative pose, "Yes, Father."

Vader remained standing, "The Emperor wants to meet you and to test your abilities."

"Why?"

"As I have told you, he is the Lord of the Sith, my master. There are many things that he is aware of, and one of those things is your power."

Leia was always uncomfortable when her father spoke of her power. He told her that it was a gift and that she should use it, but Leia still held back on many occasions--something that annoyed Vader greatly. "What will he do with me?"

Vader began pacing the room, a sign that he was agitated. "I do not know." He turned to her, "My daughter, I must prepare you for your encounter with him. You must learn the protocol required in dealing with him, and other things."

"What other things?"

"You must learn to shield certain things from him, and I will teach you. If things do not go right, he will take you away from me, or worse. Do you understand?"

Leia did not relish the idea of staying with Vader, but from the things she had heard about the Emperor, she certainly did not want to be with him. "I understand, Father."


	10. Chapter 10

_Author Note: I just wanted to thank everyone for reading and for your support. I really appreciate all of the comments.**  
**_

_**Chapter 10:**_

For the first time in a month, Breha did not wear her traditional red gown. The official period for mourning was over and so the ceremonial outfits had to be put away. She felt strange and uncomfortable again wearing the gowns that she wore before her world collapsed. She felt like she was wearing clothes that belonged to some other woman.

Breha realized that they did belong to someone else, someone who had a family to love and a people to protect. That woman was no more, and the person that replaced her did not feel comfortable wearing someone else's clothes.

She stared at herself in the mirror, and did not recognize the woman seen in the reflection. While she looked like a queen, her bearing was certainly not regal. Breha noticed that she was slouching slightly, something that she never did before. She was weighed down with the burden of being the lone survivor of the holocaust that destroyed her family.

She knew that Leia was still alive on Vader's ship, but her precious daughter was so far away. She had heard a rumor that the _Devastator_ was preparing to return to Coruscant, and with that, all hope of seeing her little girl again was snatched away. Leia would be permanently removed from the world and the life that she had before. Breha wondered if, in the future, the girl would have any memories left of her life on Alderaan. She wanted to hope that would be the case, but she dared not.

Hope had been cruel to her, and Breha refused to allow it inside her heart again. After Bail's execution, she had held onto the hope that the art dealer that her husband told her to get in contact with would somehow be holding some kind of miracle. He did not, and she hated the man for it.

Hate--hate was something that Breha once believed that one should never let rule their heart because it would only cause more pain. She now scoffed at those naïve and childish beliefs. Pain was inevitable, no matter what philosophies one clung to. She hated Vader for taking Leia from her and killing her husband, she hated Jesko Sarin for not being the miracle that she believed he would be, and she hated Moff Fius Malix for his very existence.

Malix was the personification of everything she hated about the Empire. He was a brutal tyrant that hid under the very thin guise of a caring ruler. He was a true believer in the Imperial way and read everything the Emperor ever wrote almost like they were religious doctrines.

She heard reports from her handmaidens that he regularly quizzes members of the palace staff on everything from Imperial protocol to trivia about the high-up members of the Emperor's staff. One security officer had even been detained by Malix's personal guard for three hours for not knowing the exact date of the Emperor's election to the office of Supreme Chancellor. In those three hours, he was lectured personally by Malix regarding "the benefits of being fully knowledgeable of the glorious history of our Empire."

Most of the palace staff had come to the conclusion that, along with being a tyrant, Malix was completely insane. Breha had no trouble believing that, she had spent enough time with the governor to form that opinion early. However, she knew that it was a mistake to dismiss him as just a crazy man; he was much more dangerous than that.

The queen turned from the mirror and sat down wearily. She had only been awake for a couple of hours and was already beginning to tire. Whatever was wrong with her was not getting any better. She knew that she should see a doctor about her condition but she could not find the courage. Breha suspected that it would not make a difference.

She remembered, before his death, that her own father was always tired. She was so young when he passed away that she never was told what was wrong with him; her mother never wanted to talk about it. Whatever it was, Breha was certain that she had it too. _It's just as well; if I die I won't have to endure Malix's leer anymore, or his touch._

Breha was painfully aware what Malix wanted from her. Along with her full cooperation in governmental matters, he wanted other things--things that the queen could hardly think about without being ill. He made his intentions perfectly clear the day of Bail's funeral. She shuttered as she remembered the feel of his hand briefly caressing her face. Malix told her that he had every right to take whatever he wanted, including her. The worst part about it was that he was right.

If he ever did force himself on her, there would be no place for her to turn. It was not as if she could have him arrested. Alderaan was now fully subject to the law of the Empire, and that law stated that Imperial Moffs had absolute authority to do as they pleased as long as they did not cause any trouble for the Emperor.

Breha knew that her guards and handmaidens would never allow Malix to harm their queen. If he ever did something so extreme, and they caught wind of it, she knew that they would do whatever it took to protect her; therein lay her problem. If her staff did protect her, they would all be killed and Alderaan would suffer even greater.

So far, the general population had been spared the usual horrors that accompanied most Imperial occupations. Malix had kept the stormtroopers reigned in, a fact that the hated governor never ceased to keep reminding her. In that, was his unspoken, but very much implied, promise that her people would surely suffer if she refused any of his demands. _Is my dignity and pride worth the suffering of my people? _

_Help me, please someone help me._ Breha had never been particularly religious; throughout her life she had given little attention to the gods of her people. Over the last month, she had found herself praying more than ever--praying for help, praying that Malix would go away, and praying for death. So far, death seemed to be her only escape. _Please, divine ones, take me now._

* * *

Vader could not stall anymore; he would have to return to the capital. He knew that this day was coming, but he did not like the idea of his daughter having an audience with his master. If he had it to do over again, he would have tried to hide Leia from Sidious while he trained her in secret, even though it would have been almost impossible. 

There was nothing he could do to prevent Leia meeting Lord Sidious; he hoped that the training he had given her would be enough to prepare her. He had been tough on her to make her strong, but it was nothing compared to what his master could do.

As Vader saw it, there were three possible outcomes to the meeting. The first outcome was the Emperor allowing Leia to stay in Vader's custody, the second was Leia being taken by the Sith master and him training her personally, and the third possible outcome was him killing the girl.

Vader was almost certain that Sidious would never train Leia personally, but it was very possible that he would see her as too much of a threat and kill her. The apprentice did not know what he would do if his master wanted to destroy Leia. He decided that he would do what he could to convince Sidious of her future worth; and if that did not work, he would decide then if he would challenge his master over her.

Leia was not only his daughter, but she was Vader's key to taking his master's power. If she was trained to be loyal to him, she could be a very powerful apprentice. Still, that was many years away; Vader knew that he would have to tread carefully for a long time before he could act. Then, he would finally be the master, and he would have his daughter ruling by his side.

This was the role that Leia was born for--a role that should have been Padmé's before Kenobi poisoned his wife's mind and made her betray her husband. Despite his power, Vader knew that he would never be satisfied unless his former master lay dead at his feet.

He was now convinced that Padmé and Kenobi were having an affair behind his back. Sidious had suggested it several times, and over the years, the idea became more and more likely. What Vader was not sure of was whether Padmé was a willing participant or did Kenobi use mind tricks against her. While he remembered that his wife's mind was very strong and could withstand most forms of manipulation, he knew that no mind was impenetrable. _He was always jealous; of course he would want to take everything that belonged to me--first Padmé, then Leia._

Every time Vader thought about how his daughter was hidden from him, rage filled him so completely that it was hard for him to not explode. Despite his efforts, Leia had not stopped thinking about the Organas and every time she did, the Sith wanted to kill Bail Organa all over again. _I let him die too easily; I should have tortured his wife as well._

Despite Leia's stubbornness, a trait he had to admit that she got from him, there was much progress with her. The brainwashing she had been subjected to was finally beginning to melt away. Very soon, the pacifist philosophies that his daughter was taught to weaken her would be a very distant memory. In thought and deed, she would be fully Sith.

Over the last few days, Vader had been working on strengthening Leia's mental shielding and her Force bond with him. Those things would be necessary when she met the Emperor. He also was making sure that she learned about the history of the Sith and their philosophies. He wanted his master to be impressed with her training, and her potential.

He watched out the window as the _Devastator_ left Alderaan's orbit and went into hyperspace. There was only a little time left before Leia would meet with the Emperor, and her father was going to make use of that time. Vader quickly left the bridge and headed for Leia's quarters; she had more training.

* * *

"Your Highness, I'm so glad to see you here." Moff Malix looked up from his desk at the queen's arrival and smiled broadly. He stood up and quickly crossed the large office to stand before her. 

Wanting the meeting to be short, Breha decided to be polite but terse. "Governor Malix, I am here for the scheduled meeting."

"Oh yes, that." He gestured dramatically, "Come in, welcome to my office. This is the first time you've been in here since I occupied this space, isn't it?"

_He welcomes me into rooms in my own palace; I hate him so much._ Usually, their meetings were held in the main conference room, but Malix insisted on this one being in his office. They were not alone. Along with Zara and two of the palace guards, there were three stormtroopers on guard, plus six more out in the hallway. "Yes, it is."

"Well, consider this my official welcome. Remember, my door is always open if you ever need anything." Without warning, Malix took Breha's arm and led her to the window. He pointed out to the lush greenery of Alderaan. "I think the amazing view is the best feature of this room, and that is why I chose it." The governor had been given a large suite of rooms inside the palace for him and his guards. However, the original rooms that he was given was deemed "unfit" and he chose another set of rooms "more fitting" for someone of his "position."

Subtlety extracting herself from his grip, Breha hid her disgust at being touched by him. This was something that he had been doing more of lately. Every time she saw him, it seemed, Malix was always grabbing her hand or taking her arm to lead her places. Gone was any respect for her rank and position as queen. "Yes, the view is lovely. What is it that you wanted to speak to me about?"

Malix turned away from the window and gestured to one of the chairs of the large conference table in the middle of the room. "Please sit down, we have much to discuss."

With her handmaiden and guards looking on, Breha reluctantly took the offered seat and waited for Malix to begin. When the governor sat down, he picked up a datapad that had been lying on the table and scanned its contents for a few moments. Finally, he handed it to the queen. "Here, take a look at this proposal. I wanted your thoughts on the matter."

Breha took the datapad; she was relieved that Malix seemed to be all-business today. However, her relief was gone when she examined what was there. The datapad contained a three-day travel itinerary visiting multiple communities on Alderaan itself and its many colonies in nearby systems. According to the information provided, both she and Malix would be taking the trip together. "Why are we taking a trip?"

The governor gave the queen a look that could only be described as pitying. "Your Highness, don't you remember when I told you a few weeks back how you and I should personally visit areas around Alderaan? I know how much your people love you and I thought that a few speeches by their believed monarch would do much to convince the people to give their full support to the Empire."

Breha remembered Malix mentioning something like that when he first arrived on the planet. He wanted her to legitimize his rule with the Alderaanian people. Not knowing what to do, the queen originally stalled to keep from having to say yes or no; either choice was bad. If she said no, Malix might decide that it was necessary to be harsh with her people; and if she agreed to go with him, Breha would be a collaborator. She could no longer stall. "Yes, Governor Malix, I remember."

He smiled, "Great, I feared the stress of the last month had taken a toll; I'm glad to see that it hasn't." Malix then took the datapad. "So, what do you think? If you have any suggestions on other places we could go, I would be happy to hear them. While I feel that I have gotten to know your people well in the last month, I must admit that you are the expert between us regarding Alderaanians."

If Breha was not so beaten down by life and her circumstances, she would have been righteously outraged that Malix assumed she would sell out her own people so quickly. She remembered, weeks ago, being angry at the governor's request; now, things were different. The queen did not have the energy to be outraged. Still, she decided she would at least fake at being strong for the sake of her people. "Governor, I did not consent to this...trip."

Malix frowned, "I thought I made it clear to you; forgive me if I wasn't as direct as I needed to be. Your consent was not required for me to plan this trip. Your Highness, you will come with me."

"So, you expect me to betray my own people by fully cooperating with everything you do, and like it. I am to just hand over my people for you to do whatever it is you wish. Is that what is expected of me?"

The governor signed dramatically and shook his head, "Please, you were doing so well. Why are you trying to make things hard on yourself, and your people?"

The queen stood up, "How dare you do this!"

With rage in his eyes, Malix rose to look the queen directly in her eyes. "I would suggest you reconsider the way you address a personal representative of the Emperor."

Breha was afraid, but she refused to back down. "I am not one of your underlings, I am the queen. You will address _me _as such."

Malix began to laugh; it was a cold and evil chuckle that froze Breha's blood. "I think you have forgotten. You are only queen in the eyes of your people. To the Emperor, the only one that matters, I am in complete control of this world. I will treat you as well, or as badly, as I see fit. Do you understand this, or do I need to say it again in simpler terms?"

The queen could see that Zara and her guards were very nervous, and it looked like they were each inwardly debating on whether or not to intervene. Breha had given them strict orders to not interfere unless Malix was violent. She wished that they were not here to see this humiliation she was experiencing. Her anger was growing, so much that Breha did not think before the next words came out of her mouth. "You are a pathetic excuse for a man."

Breha suddenly felt Malix's hard slap against her cheek. Shocked, and in pain, she barely had time to react as her guards and Zara sprung into action to defend their queen. The governor called for his guards and the room very quickly filled with stormtroopers, each aiming their weapons at her staff. The queen knew that she had to stop the situation from getting even more out of control. "Wait, please stop."

Malix turned to the queen; the malicious glare that she received was so frightening that she took a few steps backward. She understood that she was staring in the face of pure evil. Breha knew at that moment that someone was going to die; she hoped that it would be her. "Apparently you have been lax in your responsibility of teaching your staff proper protocol."

"Governor, please do not do this."

His smile returned, but there was nothing friendly about it. "I don't think you truly believed me when I said I had complete control. My dear, it is a lesson you will learn well." Malix turned to look at those being held by stormtroopers. "Still, I've always been a merciful man."

The governor took the sidearm that he always carried out and shot one of the guards. Gasps could be heard from Breha and her handmaiden as he fell dead on the floor. "Remember this day, my dear. This was the only time I will be merciful to you or any of your staff that oppose me in any way. When you think about this man, I want you to remember that you were the one who killed him. Your actions are the reason why he is dead. Don't ever forget that."

Breha could no longer fight the tears from coming down. "Why? He was only doing his job."

Ignoring her question, Malix walked closer to the queen and lightly caressed her face. "Now, I want you to apologize for insulting me and for allowing your staff to attack me. If you don't, your beloved handmaiden is next."

Knowing that she had little choice, Breha hung her head in a submissive pose. "I truly apologize."

Malix nodded, "Good." He then addressed the stormtroopers, "Take that body away and release the other two. Also, I want two of you to escort the queen back to her living quarters." He turned to the queen as she was being herded out of the room, "We are leaving tommorow. Have that handmaiden of yours pack suitable clothing for the occasion; I want you to look your best when you go before the Alderaanian people."

* * *

If it was any ordinary situation, Leia would have been thrilled to be on Imperial Center. She had wanted to go to the capital as long as she could remember, but her parents never allowed it. _They weren't my parents, I have to stop thinking of them like that._

Leia looked up at her father as they were waiting in the throne room's antechamber for the Emperor to summon them inside. She hoped that he did not catch her thinking about the Organas, but she did not need to worry. He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts.

She knew that Vader did not want to bring her before the Emperor; and that reason alone made Leia very nervous. Her father was so strong so she knew to be afraid of anyone that could affect him like this. Of course, he would never admit that he was afraid, but Leia knew that he was.

"Father, how much longer do you think it'll be?" Leia asked, wanting to break the silence between them.

"I do not know, my daughter; you must remain patient."

A shot of annoyance went through her; Leia hated being patient. As her father had taught her, she held tightly onto the feeling and fed it until it grew into anger. Then, when it was at its highest, Leia used it to feed her power within her. Vader had taught her this technique to use any anger or frustration as a sort of fuel reserve to be able to manipulate the Force when needed. He was very pleased that his daughter had learned the technique so quickly and easily.

"What is he like?"

Vader regarded Leia for a moment, as if he was not sure how to answer. "He is the Emperor. You will treat him as such."

"He is your master, isn't he?" Ever since Leia had begun learning about the history of the Sith order, she had wondered if her father was the master or apprentice. By the things he had said, and the way he was acting, she began to believe the latter.

"Yes."

Leia could feel her father's anger building, but it was not directed at her. "I thought Darth Bane declared that there should only be two, a master and an apprentice. If I am trained as a Sith, that would make three."

Vader did not have time to answer the question, the large doors of the Emperor's throne room opened and he ushered Leia into the room. Remembering everything her father told her about what was expected, she held her head high as she walked beside him, hoping to draw from some of his strength. She saw a shriveled and cloaked man sitting on the throne staring at her with an unreadable expression.

Immediately, just like her father had warned her, she felt a foreign presence inside her mind. It was not her father, she knew it must have been the old man sitting before her. Calling on all her training, she dropped her mental shields on certain areas of her mind, but strengthened them in others.

In unison, Father and daughter knelt before him and lowered their heads in a show of submission. Leia felt her father's reassuring presence inside her mind. She was glad that she was not facing this alone.

Vader spoke, "What is thy bidding, my master?"


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11:**_

Leia had been on Imperial Center for nearly two days and in that time she had barely came into contact with the Emperor. After her initial encounter, she had been ushered away to a large suite in the Imperial Palace and only saw her father a few times since then. Most of his time was spent doing his master's bidding.

Like her father had told her, the Emperor was very powerful. Even now, while she was in a completely different wing of the massive palace than he was, she could feel the Sith master's presence strongly. His power seemed to penetrate every molecule of every item in her suite, from the luxurious carpets to the electronic door chime. There was no way to escape him.

She told her father that she did not feel comfortable all alone in the suite, but he told her that she must conquer her fear. In the short time that she had been with him, since arriving at the capital, Vader had taught her to harness the power that was all around her to make herself stronger. It seemed to work, but no matter what she did, she knew she would never feel comfortable inside the Imperial Palace.

Leia had no idea how long that she would be here. The last time she saw her father she asked him when they were leaving and he did not give her an answer. She got the feeling that he did not want her here but had little choice in the matter.

She heard her door open and was surprised that it was not her father; it was one of the red-robed soldiers that followed the Emperor everywhere he went. In the time that she had been in the palace, she had seen these eerie beings patrolling the grounds as she watched out the window. She wondered what was underneath those masks.

Leia tried to remain calm. Vader had taught her that she was to never show fear, and she refused to do so in front of these men. "Why are you here?" she demanded in a confident tone that she hoped hid her nervousness.

The men did not speak; instead, they held out a datapad from the Emperor. It was an immediate summons to his throne room. "Where is Lord Vader?" She did not want to face him alone.

Again, they did not speak; Leia wondered if they even had that ability. She knew that she was expected to follow them, but all she wanted to do was hide under her bed. Somehow, she knew that would not be tolerated. Steeling herself for whatever was coming, Leia squared her shoulders and told the guards that she would come with them. _I must not show fear, I must not show fear...I will not show fear!_

During the long walk to the throne room, she prepared herself mentally for what was to come. She could not sense her father's presence inside the palace so she knew that she would be facing the Emperor alone. Leia tried to remember everything that she had been taught, by Vader and by the _others._

_The others _was how she referred mentally to her adoptive parents. She remembered how her adoptive mother had walked and how regal she always looked; Leia tried to emulate her confident stride.

Leia did not have much time to prepare herself before she was standing in front of the massive doors of the Emperor's throne room. The doors opened and she walked slowly into the large room. Striding in a straight line, directly toward the Emperor, she hoped that she at least appeared confident. Remembering everything her father had told her about how to act around the Emperor, Leia approached the throne and bowed before him.

Immediately, she felt the man's presence inside her mind. "I see your father has taught you well, young Leia."

She was not certain how she was supposed to respond to what he said. "He has taught me many things, Master."

She did not like using that title in reference to the Emperor. From her studies on Sith history and philosophy, she knew the meaning behind it. For reasons she was not sure she understood completely, Leia felt that the man sitting on the throne did not deserve that honor.

Even though a cowl covered most of his face, she could still see the Emperor's broad grin. It made her even more uncomfortable. "Very good, stand up my girl."

Quickly obeying, she stood up to face him; Leia was glad that she did not have to kneel any longer but she wondered why he was allowing her to break protocol.

"How have you been?" The Emperor had adopted a friendly tone, one like she had heard many adults use when speaking to children. However, there was a hard edge to it that Leia did not trust.

"I have been well, I appreciate the accommodations that you so graciously provided." Leia was taught from a very early age how to conduct herself when speaking to those in authority; she knew she was expected to be polite and very formal.

The Emperor laughed, "It's funny, I can't decide which of your parents you favor the most. For a while I thought that you mostly took after your father, but now I see much of your mother in you."

The mention of her mother got Leia's attention. She knew nothing about her and every question she ever asked about her was met with stony silence or a burst of anger from her father. "You knew my mother?"

"Oh yes, very much so."

"What was she like?"

"Hasn't your father told you all about her? You are her daughter, I would think that you had a right to know." The Emperor then frowned, "Of course, considering the circumstances of her death, I can imagine why he might be hesitant."

Leia had forgotten all about her earlier discomfort; that had been replaced by curiosity. She wanted to know all about her mother and this man seemed willing to tell her, something her father had so far refused to do. "What circumstances? How did she die?"

"It is not my place to tell you. That should come from your father. Although, I can't promise you that he will ever tell you." He leaned toward her in a show of compassion. "It was a very tragic situation; your father never did learn how to control his anger and sometimes that causes unfortunate...accidents."

"He got angry with my mother and hurt her? Is that why she is dead?What happened?" Leia demanded, her own anger was growing as the Emperor held back information.

The Emperor shook his head regretfully, "I'm sorry dear, it seems I've said too much. I did not mean to get you so stirred up. I guess you are more like your father after all."

Leia was speechless, rage at the situation was filling her entire being. Finally, after a few moments of silence, she trusted her voice enough to speak again. "He will never tell me. I deserve to know what happened to my mother."

"That you do, but it is inappropriate for me to be telling you things your father should be." The Emperor smiled again, "Now, I think it's time for you to return to your suite. Your father will be returning to the palace shortly. You will see him again very soon."

Leia did not speak as two members of the Imperial Guard escorted her out of the throne room. What she did not hear after the doors closed was the sound of an old man's laughter, "All too easy."

* * *

Sokoris was a very different world than Tatooine; that was something that Obi-Wan was very grateful for. In the nearly eight years that he had been an inhabitant of the desert world he had never gotten used to its oppressive heat. 

Sokoris was a beautiful, but very remote, Outer-Rim world home to mainly human settlers, and a few alien traders. The world had very few cities, most of the inhabitants lived on sprawling homesteads separated by many kilometers of wilderness.

The planet was very remote, so remote that the Republic, and later the Empire, had very few connections with this planet. Only one hyperspace route led to it and that suited the inhabitants quite nicely. Most of them were fiercely independent and believed in being self-sustaining. All offers of outside aid by the Republic were refused by the people and the Empire seemed to be content with completely ignoring the small world. It had no strategic value.

The trip to the planet was very long; it took days in his commandeered ship to get there. It was extra challenging with a child and a newborn baby. Luke had been quiet, but the Jedi knew that he was reeling from the trauma of Owen and Beru's violent death. Through the Force, Obi-Wan could sense the boy's deep sadness and when he slept, Luke was tormented by the memory of watching Beru's brutal torture at the hands of the sandpeople.

Obi-Wan did not know what to do to help him, he wished that he could take the memory from him; but the child's already strong Force presence made that impossible. Even so, he was not sure if it would be right to do such a thing even if it were possible.

The baby was another matter. The only training that he had ever had regarding the care of infants was when he was a padawan learner and his master made him work in the crèche nursery a few times. That did not prepare him for the challenges of looking after a baby full time.

Siri was not a contented baby. In the time that he had cared for her, he had struggled. He was trying his best but he felt that he was doing everything wrong. Nothing he did ever seemed to make her happy. Obi-Wan wondered if the tragic circumstances of her birth had somehow imprinted on the tiny girl and changed her disposition.

Luke came into the cockpit as Obi-Wan was beginning the landing sequence. "Ben, is that the new planet?"

"Yes it is. What do you think?"

The small child looked out of the window onto a world unlike anything he had ever seen before. Where Tatooine was brown and sparse, Sokoris was green and full of trees. The planet was covered by kilometers of very old forests. "I've never seen trees like that; I've never seen trees at all."

Obi-Wan smiled, he knew that Luke would have to do much adjusting but he was glad that the child would be able to live on a world with so much life. "They are beautiful."

"They're weird looking. Why are there so many?"

Obi-Wan patted Luke on the shoulder, he could feel the boy's apprehension. "I know it's very different than what you are used to, but we couldn't stay on Tatooine."

Luke nodded solemnly, "I just hate leaving them." After Obi-Wan buried Owen and Beru they had only stayed long enough to buy supplies and obtain a ship. The Jedi never told Luke that the ship was stolen; still, the child had figured it out fairly quickly but decided not to comment.

"They have been transformed to the Force; their bodies were only crude matter." Over the time that Luke had been his charge, Obi-Wan had begun to tell the boy about the Force. He hoped to begin his actual training in a few months, when the loss of his aunt and uncle would not be so fresh.

"You said that the Force was all around us. Does that mean that Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen are around me?"

Obi-Wan was not certain how he should answer Luke's question. According to Jedi teachings, all living things return to the Force after death. However, only those strongest and most attune with the Force in life could retain their identities.

While it was true that Owen and Beru were transformed to the Force, what made them who they were was gone. They existed only as pure energy. Qui-Gon's return from the netherworld of the Force was a monumental and, as far as Obi-Wan or Yoda knew, first time occurrence.

As Luke waited for an answer, Obi-Wan could not help but be reminded how Anakin used to ask him questions of that nature--questions he did not know how to answer. "They are energy now, and that energy is helping to sustain life."

Luke frowned at Obi-Wan's answer; he wanted to know more but he decided to ask some other time. As the ship approached the landing area of the small settlement, Luke pointed to something in the distance. "What's that?"

Obi-Wan looked over at what he was pointing to, "It's a waterfall, Luke."

The boy was dumbfounded, "Water just flows everywhere like that! I bet whoever owns that could buy an entire system."

Obi-Wan could not help but laugh. In actuality, the waterfall they were looking at was fairly small. He had heard that the planet contained several much larger ones, he hoped to show them to him someday. "Water is in abundance on this world."

He landed the ship and that seemed to be Siri's cue to wake up from her short nap. Within a few seconds, her cries could be heard throughout the small ship. After feeding and changing the girl, Obi-Wan and his charges left the ship for their new life on an unfamiliar world.

There was much to do. He had to sell the ship and with the proceeds of the sale obtain a place for them to live. _And I have to contact Master Yoda._ Obi-Wan had taken with him the communication equipment necessary to contact the Jedi master on Dagobah. He needed to tell him what was going on and explain to him the reason why he did not rescue Leia like he was told. He knew that Yoda would not be happy about the turn of events, but he hoped that he would understand his decision.

* * *

Vader had been summoned to the throne room soon after he returned to the palace. He did have time to visit Leia. He did not like leaving her alone so close to his master, but Sidious had kept him busy ever since he had arrived on Imperial Center. He had no choice but to obey. 

As he stalked the long hallways of the palace, Vader thought about his last encounter with his daughter just moments ago. When he arrived at her suite, he found her meditating. He could feel Leia's anger, but when he asked her what happened, she told him nothing happened and she was only focusing on past events to increase her connection to the dark side.

Vader suspected that she was not telling the entire truth. After questioning her further, he discovered that she had been summoned to the Emperor earlier. She told him that he only spoke to her for a few minutes, but Vader sensed that she was not telling him everything. He received his own summons to his master before he had a chance to get any more out of his daughter.

The Sith was not surprised that she was brought to him, but that did not make him like the idea of his daughter being in a room alone with him. He suspected that she had been tested in some manner, whether Leia knew it or not.

He did not have to wait long before the doors to the throne room opened. As per custom, he knelt before the Emperor, "What is thy bidding, my master?"

"Rise, my servant, we have much to discuss." Vader complied, he knew that this conversation would be the one that determined Leia's ultimate fate.

"As you are no doubt aware, I spoke to the girl this afternoon."

"Yes."

"She's a powerful thing, perhaps a bit too powerful." Sidious looked at Vader thoughtfully, "You have certainly brought out the darkness in her. I have to say, I am impressed."

"Her training is going well; she is a natural."

Sidious laughed, "Yes, I supposed all Skywalkers are alike in that respect."

Vader wished that he would just get on with it. He was aware that Sidious had made his decision but was drawing it out as a way of controlling his apprentice.

"I want the _Devastator_ and its battle group back in space, there are important matters I need you to attend to. As for your daughter, I am going to temporarily allow her to go with you. Her training is going well, I cannot deny that."

Somehow Vader did not think that it would be this easy, he wondered what the catch was. "The _Devastator_ will be ready to leave within the hour, my master."

"There is one thing, her existence is going to be announced to the public. She will be introduced as your daughter, Leia Vader. Since Bail Organa's execution, many unpleasant things have been released about his character. Kidnapping a child will be just another of his many sins."

Vader knew that Leia could not remain a secret forever, but he was surprised that she was going to be announced to the public this soon. He was not surprised, however, that Sidious insisted on her surname being _Vader_. He wanted it to remain _Skywalker _because that was her name at birth before Organa took her, but Vader did not want to push his luck by protesting his master's decision. "I understand."

"I think the girl could be quite useful to me, politically, if she receives the right training. I think she could be a wonderful public face of the Empire. I will be sending a tutor for her while on the _Devastator_."

_He's sending a spy._ Vader had no choice but to acquiesce. "Yes master."

"Lord Vader, should any accident happen to befall him while he is in your custody, I will be quite displeased." Sidious smiled again, "You are dismissed, I will have the girl's tutor sent to the _Devastator_ immediately."

While Vader was not thrilled by the prospect of having the Emperor's spy aboard his ship, he still could not shake the notion that being able to keep Leia was far too easy. Sidious was planning something, he was certain of that.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12:**_

It would have been a wonderful day for a party. Aldera Palace in the springtime was truly a magical place; birds would be singing, flowers would be in bloom, and the temperature would be perfect. The entire palace courtyard would be filled with well-wishers and the guest of honor would have been beaming with excitement. It would have been a day full of joy for everyone; but there was no more joy left in Breha Organa's existence.

It was Leia's eighth birthday today; but instead of supervising last-minute preparations for her party, Breha Organa was on a ship with Moff Malix coming home after spending the last week on Coruscant being the royal representative for Alderaan at the Empire Day festivities. She did not want to go, but it had been a long time since the queen's wishes were given any thought.

For the past six months, Breha had hardly been home. She first had traveled to the many outlying Alderaanian colonies with the Imperial governor to solidify the people's support. The first few stops were the most painful; the queen still remembered the looks on those in the crowd's faces as she delivered the speech that Malix wrote extolling the virtues of the Empire.

Right before the first speech she had to make, the queen's protests against reading Malix's speech were met with a reminder that stormtroopers would be surrounding the venue and would be there "in case the crowd is driven into an anti-Imperial frenzy." Breha understood the governor's barely concealed threat; she was to do what she was told or there would be bloodshed. With the image of her poor guard, who was killed only for defending her after she was slapped by Malix, fresh in her mind, Breha Organa walked out to the podium and delivered the governor's speech.

All throughout the crowd there were looks of betrayal, anger, and worst of all, pity. Some of them understood that their queen had no choice but to proselytize in the name of the Emperor. At the end, there were no cheers or jeers, but only eerie silence. Breha wondered which was worse, her people screaming and protesting or the silence that spoke volumes.

Since then, Breha had lost count of the number of speeches she made. Over time, her early rage against what she was forced to do had chilled into a grim acceptance of her fate. After the initial three-day visit of Alderaan's colonies, Malix had taken her on many diplomatic trips to other worlds. It was his desire that Alderaan forged stronger ties between other Imperial worlds. Breha did not know all of the details, she knew that the governor had signed various treaties; but he was hesitant to share the details.

Now that Empire Day was over, Malix had promised Breha that the diplomatic season was over and she could return home for a few months. After this particular Empire Day, the queen did not care one way or the other.

The first official Empire Day celebration was held exactly one year after Emperor Palpatine took power and Breha had traveled to the capital each year as Alderaan's royal representative. However, she had only attended to keep her world safe from direct Imperial rule and to keep her husband out of the Emperor's crosshairs. That was all over now, her husband was dead and her people were under the thumb of the Empire; but she still was forced to go to the capital and participate in the great farce that was Empire Day.

Breha was numb most of the time she was on Coruscant. She made her public appearances and even, as per custom, swore fealty to the Emperor on behalf of her people all while Moff Malix was at her side constantly.

She mechanically did what was expected of her as the puppet monarch of an Imperial world and thought little of the constant whispers and stares in her direction. She was either pitied as the widow of a martyr or she was reviled as the wife of a notorious traitor and child kidnapper.

The news that the child the Organas claimed was their own was actually the long-lost daughter of Lord Vader had begun to be whispered in the corridors of power just weeks after Bail's execution. Speculation over the identity of the child's biological mother became one of the favorite topics of conversation within the political class; but no one suspected the truth, that Leia was the offspring of Senator Amidala.

The fact that Lord Vader was once a Jedi named Anakin Skywalker had not even entered their minds. Skywalker was reportedly killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi when the young Jedi discovered the Order's secret plan to take over the Republic.

Leia Organa's identity as Lord Vader's biological child was announced in a written statement from the Emperor. He wrote that the purpose of the announcement was to "bring together a family that had been torn apart by treachery." A day after that, another announcement informed the public that Leia Vader would be attending the Empire Day celebration alongside her father.

As Breha stared out into hyperspace, she recalled the first time she saw Leia after she had been taken from her. She was on Coruscant in her temporary quarters at the Alderaanian consulate when she watched a holo-broadcast of Leia's arrival to the capital. Flanked by a stormtrooper escort, Leia and Vader walked off the shuttle together with strides that eerily seemed to match.

The press was everywhere, eager to get a holo of the new Imperial princess. Breha remembered with horror that so much about Leia was different, she could tell by the way she conducted herself. Gone was the carefree little girl with a big smile that seemed to flutter everywhere she went like a fairy. The child she witnessed was stern and walked with purpose. Even from the grainy holo, the queen could see clearly what many in the lifestyle press called Leia's "unidentifiable quality"; but she could clearly identify it, she knew exactly what Leia had now that she did not have before...power.

Breha tried to remain as strong as possible for her people, but that did not stop her from crying herself to sleep every night thinking about what Vader had done to her little girl. Leia's time on Coruscant ended with the _Devastator's_ departure from the capital the day after the holiday and Breha had not been able to see her in person the entire time she was there. The only way she could see her was through HoloNet.

Hours later, Malix announced that it was time to return to Alderaan. The trip was long and the queen had spent it alone in the ship's observation lounge, but she knew her moments of solitude were over when she heard the door to the lounge open behind her.

"I didn't expect to find you here."

Breha did not need to turn around to know who was coming toward her, she knew the voice of Moff Malix very well. "Where did you expect me?"

He walked up to stand beside the queen. "I figured you would be resting. You must not have slept much lately, you seem tired."

If it was anyone else, Breha would have been touched by his concern. She was tired, but it had nothing to do with the amount of sleep she had been getting. "I'm fine, Governor Malix. Was there something you needed me for?"

"No, actually I didn't know you would be here. We're going to be coming out of hyperspace soon, I wanted to watch the approach to Alderaan."

"Oh."

"It will be good to be back; we've been gone too long."

Breha turned to look at the governor, "What, are you afraid there was a uprising while we were away?"

Malix laughed and shook his head, "Oh no, nothing like that. I just miss the planet."

"You miss it?"

"The world is breathtaking, how could anyone not miss it?"

Breha wanted to leave the room but part of her was intrigued by a side of Moff Malix that she had never seen before. He seemed almost human now; she noted that his smile seemed more natural. _I wonder how long this is going to last._

The ship came out of hyperspace right before the small planet. Malix smiled even more as he gazed upon it, "It is breathtaking, a wonderful world to call home."

"You see Alderaan as your home?"

He turned back to the queen, "Of course, I fell in love with it the moment I saw the mountains and the green fields. It is much like how my homeworld once was, until the Clone War." Malix's smile disappeared as a painful look crossed his face.

"What happened?"

Malix sighed, "My world wasn't very important to the Republic and it was abandoned. No troops were sent to defend it, so the local militia was forced to do the work of professional soldiers. When the CIS came, the militia was overrun within minutes and the surface of the planet was devastated."

"You are from Luskan?" Breha remembered hearing about the tragedy on the tiny planet during the Clone War. Most of the planet's population was wiped out within hours of the invasion. Palpatine blamed the senate for moving too slowly to defend the world and used the tragedy as a reason for giving him more emergency powers.

"Yes, I was not on the planet when the attack happened; but most of my family was wiped out." Malix continued to stare out the window as anger was evident on his face. "The Republic abandoned my world, and saw it as an acceptable loss." He then sighed and put a smile back on his face. "But that was the past, and the past must remain where it is. I now focus on the future, and Alderaan is my future. It is my home now."

Breha, a native of Alderaan, had not felt at home ever since Bail's death and Leia's abduction; but this hated Imperial governor had declared her world as his own. To Breha, the fields and mountains meant nothing if she could not have her family. The queen felt that it was ironic that at the moment Alderaan was abandoned by one of its own, it was adopted by a foreigner.

In truth, Breha did not just abandon her homeworld in her heart; she was beginning to hate it. As she watched the ship approach, the world's magnificent beauty made her feel cold inside. _How could such a tragedy occur on such a beautiful planet?_

As the ship landed, Breha turned away from the window. She did not want to see any more of Alderaan's magnificent scenery; it was just too painful.

The queen began to walk toward the door of the viewing lounge but Malix stopped her, "Your Highness, I am concerned about you."

"Why are you concerned?"

"You seem very tired."

"It's just the traveling, that's all." Breha would have rather died than admit to him her health problems.

Malix nodded, "I know these trips have been hard on you, especially this last one to Imperial Center. Seeing Leia again must have been heartbreaking; I wish I could have spared you that pain."

This was a side to the governor that the queen had not seen in the months that she had known him. If she had not known the kind of monster he really was, she might have been won over in this strange moment. For some reason, she knew that he was truly sincere in his sentiments. Moff Fius Malix was many things, but he was not a liar. Breha wondered if she was seeing a remnant of who he was before he became the tyrant he was now.

When Breha did not answer, Malix continued, "I'm not the enemy, Breha. I only want to protect you and Alderaan. It is in this world's best interest to remain in the Empire's good graces. Democracy failed this galaxy, as it failed my homeworld. It is only the Emperor's protection and wise leadership that keeps this galaxy from barbarism and chaos."

The moment was over as soon as the governor began speaking of the Empire. He was back to being the Emperor's disciple. Breha was saved from having to respond by the entrance of her handmaiden. The queen had not told Zara she was getting up when she decided to spend the rest of the trip in the viewing lounge.

The handmaiden eyed Malix warily before turning her attention to the queen, "I'm sorry Your Highness; I didn't mean to interrupt."

The look on Zara's face was that of much concern. Breha had a sick feeling when she realized that her handmaiden was beginning to think that her and Malix's relationship had changed. "No Zara, there was no interruption."

Malix laughed and turned to the handmaiden, "Of course not, my dear, you need not worry about your queen's honor."

Zara's unflinching gaze met his, "I certainly hope not."

Wanting to diffuse the immediate tension in the room, Breha decided escape was the best option in this situation. "Zara, we need to disembark. Supervise the offloading of my wardrobe."

"Your Highness, there's a crowd gathered at the space port, that's what I came to tell you."

"Oh yes, forgive me, I neglected to mention that." Malix took out a datapad from his pocket and handed it to Breha. "I called for a press conference. It would be really good publicity for what we are trying to accomplish here if you and I answer questions from some selected reporters."

_I should have known._ The queen glanced down at the datapad to find a list of things that she must emphasize during the press conference. "How many questions are scheduled?"

Malix took her arm and began leading the queen to the ship's exit. "Just ten questions, the journalists have submitted them in advance, of course." He pointed to the datapad that she was holding, "They're all in there."

Breha nodded, "That's fine." It was all she could say. Breha sighed in resignation; it was just another in a long-line of opportunities to sell another piece of her soul in the name of protecting her people from the Empire's wrath. _If this ever ends, will there be anything left of me?_

* * *

"Feel the Force around you; do not react to the remote. Let the Force tell you before the remote attacks." Vader was pleased by his daughter's skill with a lightsaber. In just over six months of combat training, she was already more advanced than most Jedi temple younglings would have been at her age, and the training remote was at close to one of the high settings. Still, he could see flaws in his daughter's technique that needed to be corrected. 

"You are relying too much on your natural senses, they will always deceive you."

Leia nodded and continued with her exercise. Vader could see determination on her face; she was focused on nothing but victory. The remote attacked and leveled off a volley of electrical bolts and she deflected them effortlessly. Her father was impressed.

Using the Force, Vader deactivated the remote. "That's enough for this evening; you are doing well."

She smiled, praise from Vader was rare and she loved every second of it. "Thank you father; I can go longer though. I want to do more."

Vader found that Leia loved combat training more than anything; like him, she excelled in using a lightsaber but some other areas she was weaker. She always wanted to be doing something and found sitting in meditation dull and pointless.

Her mind tended to wander--and wander in places that Vader did not want her to go. Despite his efforts, Leia would sometimes think about the Organas. Every time she did, her father always punished her, but that did not stop it completely.

"No, there will be no more training tonight."

Leia nodded, "I do have more studying I need to get done tonight. Professor Nilor is giving me a test tommorow morning."

At the mention of Leia's tutor, Vader felt rage surge within him. Bade Nilor was the teacher that his master had assigned for his daughter. He was a well known political crony of Sidious from the days before the Sith master was appointed to the Senate. Soon after the start of the Emperor's reign, Nilor was appointed to the post of head professor of history of Imperial Center's largest and most influential university.

One of the first things on Emperor Palpatine's agenda, after he took power, was a major reform of the educational system. Instead of each planet being responsible for the education of their own children, the Empire would provide the curriculum and a strict monitoring program was set up to make certain that the instructors were teaching the "correct" way.

The reforms were sweeping and they affected all centers of education, from nursery schools to universities. Sidious understood that to keep his power secure meant that the next generation would need to be taught from the cradle that he was the rightful ruler of the galaxy. Because of the large bureaucracy, it had taken years for these changes to take affect and still many planets had stalled making the changes, but all would eventually bow to the Emperor's wishes to avoid a stormtrooper garrison being stationed in their capital cities.

After serving for years in the university, Nilor had taken the position as Leia Vader's private tutor. The Sith apprentice knew exactly what he was there to do; he was there to train Leia to become a fanatical supporter of the Emperor and to be Sidious' eyes and ears. Wherever Leia went, Nilor went too.

"Very good, the _Devastator_ in on course to Kuat where we will be guests of one of the ruling families." Even though Leia was still very young, it was her duty to be a public face of the Empire. In the months since the Emperor's announcement of her existence, she was already a major celebrity.

One reason for the attention was the story of her abduction as a baby. Bail Organa taking her from her rightful father in a quest for revenge, and parading her around as his own, was the subject of many news stories and even a few Holo-movies. There was rampant speculation that Senator Organa had even abused Leia to avenge the deaths of the many Jedi that her biological father had executed.

For the most part, Breha Organa was spared much of the guilt in the eyes of the public. Mainly because of Moff Malix's efforts, most saw her as an innocent victim of her husband's treachery. The governor spread the word that the queen had no knowledge that the child they adopted was the daughter of Darth Vader; and that Breha Organa had tearfully, but willingly, given the girl up when she learned the truth.

Leia knew about Bail Organa's execution, it was impossible to keep it secret. It was three months after Vader took her into his custody when she learned what happened. He expected hysterical tears, but Leia did not react much outwardly. However, the Sith apprentice could feel his daughter's rage and sadness boil in a cauldron of intense emotion.

Vader remembered being almost unnerved by her reaction. She had recently learned how to use intense emotions as power reserves to be used to fuel the Force whenever necessary. Leia had barely flinched on the outside while her power grew inside of her; she was almost too good at it.

"Kuat, that's where the shipyards are located."

Vader answered, "Yes, I am to inspect a few of their new designs for the fleet and one of the ruling families insist on inviting us to dine."

Leia looked at her father in confusion, "I've never seen you eat."

"I receive nourishment through other means; you will be the only one eating."

"You are just going to stand there, while me and the Kuati royal family eat? Isn't that going to be a little awkward?"

Vader could not help but be amused by this, "The comfort of the Kuati royal family is not one of my concerns."

Leia laughed, "You don't have to be there, you know. You could be doing something else."

The Sith was suddenly reminded of Padmé when Leia laughed. Her laugh was very similar to the laugh his dead wife once had so long ago. "I will always be by your side, my daughter, always."

Leia looked up at her father's black mask and he felt a sudden burst of emotional intensity from her before it faded. "I know."


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13:**_

"Miss Vader, you are doing exceptionally well with your studies; I am very impressed with your grasp of most subjects." Bade Nilor, Leia's Emperor-appointed tutor, was giving his assessment of her progress. It was something that he did weekly; a time when he told her what she was doing well in and what she needed to work on. "You are doing very well in political studies." He smiled, "You have a great future ahead in that area."

Leia returned his smile, but it was half hearted. She wanted her instructional time to be over. While she, for the most part, liked her tutor, Leia still got bored easily with school work. "Thank you."

Nilor continued to drone on about her progress and Leia found herself struggling to pay attention. Tonight was an important night; she and her father were to be the guests of honor at a dinner hosted by one of the Kuati ruling families. This was not something unusual, in the time since she had been introduced to the galaxy as the daughter of the second in command of the Empire; Leia had been to many public events.

Of course, she had gone to many public events on Alderaan, but that was before...

Leia mentally banished that stray thought. She could not think about the time before her father had taken her into his custody; those thoughts were forbidden. At first, that rule was strictly enforced by Vader; but over time Leia herself strictly controlled her own thoughts. It was safer that way; every time she thought about her life before her father came for her, the small voice inside that warned her about his teachings got louder.

The voice created doubt, and doubt was a sure pathway to weakness and servitude; at least that was what she was told. Only the small of mind were double-minded; her father preached that constantly as he guided her to more and more power. Still, no matter what she did, she could not get the voice to stop completely. When it was at its strongest, it tormented her with warnings. It made her remember--remember the teachings of the ones who cared for her before her father returned for her and remember those she once called _Mother _and _Father_.

Leia knew their names, Bail and Breha Organa; they were the Senator and Queen of Alderaan. Those were not unknown names in the sphere of galactic politics. One was a notorious traitor who was executed for unspeakable acts, and the other was the puppet monarch firmly under the thumb of a sadistic sycophant--at least that was what she overheard someone saying at one of the Empire Day events.

She knew that she was once with them, and that she loved them. However, her memories of that life had faded. Leia wondered how she could have lost so much. She pondered the possibility that her father had used the Force to take her memories away; or maybe she wished them away herself.

"Miss Vader, are you listening to me?"

She jumped when she heard someone calling for her; Leia looked up to see Nilor with an amused grin on his face. "Yes, I'm listening."

He put down the datapad that he was reading off of and sat down beside her. "Is there something wrong?"

Nilor had no Force sensitivity, at least as far as Leia knew, but he was very good at reading her moods. She liked her tutor very much, he was kind, understanding and patient; he was everything her father was not. "It's nothing, I'm sorry I let my mind wander."

"It must be something; you seem upset, Miss Vader."

She sighed, "I told you to call me Leia."

Nilor laughed, "Oh no, I cannot do that. Your father would have an issue with that; and one does not want to have an issue with Lord Vader."

"I guess you wouldn't."

Leia and Nilor sat in silence for the next few moments; both of them were lost in their own thoughts. Finally, he spoke hesitantly, "You know that I am directly appointed by His Majesty the Emperor. I report directly to him and not to Lord Vader; something I'm sure he does not like one bit."

"Yes." She knew that he was right about that. Vader had not said anything directly to Leia about his dislike of Nilor, but she felt rage from him every time she mentioned anything about her studies with him.

"Do you know why that I'm here?"

"You are here to teach me."

Nilor smiled, "Yes, that is my main goal; but I also have another very special mission. You see Miss Vader, the Emperor is concerned about you being in Lord Vader's custody."

"Why is he concerned?"

He looked away momentarily as he gathered his thoughts and then returned his gaze to the confused girl. "Has Lord Vader ever hurt you?"

Alarm bells began to go off inside Leia's mind. Her first reaction was to vehemently deny it; her father had never hurt her physically. However, there were times when she had seen his anger or frustration; and during those times, she had been frightened that he might lash out with physical violence. "Why are you asking me this?"

Leia could see concern in his eyes. She then remembered something Vader had once told her, _"Search out the ulterior motivations in everyone you encounter. There will be those that will try to use you for their own ends; do not let them. You are above them; do not allow yourself to be used in the schemes of lower men."_

"I mean no disrespect to Lord Vader, or to you. I am speaking for the Emperor, but I am also speaking for me. You are a fine pupil, and I do not want to see you harmed. I just want you to know that if anything happens...if he ever hurts you, please feel free to let me know. I will inform the Emperor at once."

"Why do you think he would hurt me?" Leia snapped. She was growing very uncomfortable with the way this conversation was turning out. "He hasn't!"

Nilor shook his head, "Please do not be angry with me. The Emperor has made me aware of certain things...things that have happened to those who were close to Lord Vader. I know that he can have a violent temper. I just don't want to see anything happen to you."

Leia remembered her private conversation with the Emperor months back. _"Your father never did learn how to control his anger and sometimes that causes unfortunate... accidents."_ She wondered if Nilor was speaking of what happened to her mother. "What are these things? Tell me what you know!"

He stood up quickly, "I am so sorry, please forgive me. I have upset you and that was not my intention."

She could feel the Force stirring all around her, "I demand that you tell me." Vaguely, she could hear the sound of something breaking in the room, but she ignored it as she focused on what she wanted to know from her tutor. "You will tell me now!"

There was sheer terror in Nilor's eyes; he looked around the room as he carefully backed away. "Please don't hurt me."

Leia could feel not only the Force stirring within and around her, but she could also feel something else within her--something she had never felt before. She felt power like she had never known. Her father had guided her though exercises where she learned to call upon her anger to access more power, but that was nothing compared to this. In that moment, she was touching the purest essence of the dark side.

Her heart was beating wildly, sweat was pouring off of her, and her hands were shaking. Nilor's pleadings for mercy seemed to awaken something else within her. There was a new voice inside her head. This was not the voice that had warned her about Vader's teachings; that voice seemed like a distant memory. What she heard now urged her on and ordered her to make this lesser man pay for daring to deny her anything.

Leia felt like her head was going to explode if she did not obey that voice. She did not understand what was happening to her. The child within her wanted someone to come and make it better, but the unrelenting voice continued to demand vengeance.

She felt herself drop down to her knees; and she bent over and put her head in her hands. Leia then heard what sounded like people entering the room and Nilor shouting, but she could not focus on what was going on. The war that was raging inside her head continued.

Suddenly, the fog that had been created by whatever was happening to her began to break. Slowly, she began to feel the presence of her father near her and inside her mind. _"My Daughter, please don't fight me."_

_"I can't make it stop, Father, please help me."_

_"Breath deeply, and allow the feeling to pass."_

_"What's going on?"_ Her father's presence was getting stronger, but the voice was not gone.

_"There was a very strong manifestation of the dark side; please let me help you."_

Even in the state she was in, Leia could still sense something almost like panic coming from him. This was the first time that she had ever known him to say _please_. _"What do I do?"_

_"Let me into your mind completely; you must relax."_

Normally, she hated giving complete access to her mind to her father, but in this case she did not care. She only wanted it to stop. Leia let down all of her mental shields and immediately Vader's Force presence rushed inside her mind and the voice that had been tormenting her was banished. Then, as quickly as it began, the storm was gone. Suddenly, extreme sleepiness came over her.

_"Rest now, little one, you are safe."_

Before Leia fell into unconsciousness, she felt herself being picked up and cradled in her father's strong arms. Even though she still had many questions about him, and about what happened to her mother, at that moment Leia did not care. For the first time since she had known him, Leia felt love for her strange and sometimes frightening parent.

* * *

"Look who's here, it's my favorite little family," cried the overly exuberant shopkeeper as Obi-Wan entered the town's general store carrying Siri, followed by young Luke. "Ben Kenobi, were your ears burning yesterday? A bunch of us were talking about you." 

Sokoris was an even more isolated world than the rest of the Outer-Rim, and a very unique culture had developed because of that. Ancient superstitions were still a part of everyday life. According to their traditions, when one's ears were burning, that meant someone was talking about them. "Oh really," he returned with his most charming smile, "all good, I hope."

She laughed, "All good, I promise, we were just talking about how well you are raising those little ones." Lena Meru and her husband owned the small town's general store which was the lifeblood of the area homesteads. Stores like this were a necessary part of life on Sokoris. Most of the time, the owners of these businesses were the only ones on the planet that had any contact with off-worlders. Along with the goods that the planet could not provide itself, these merchants were usually the only source of news from the greater galaxy.

Because of this position, Lena took it upon herself to be the disseminator of news about the other residents of the area as well. No one ever told her anything that they did not want spread throughout the general area within a day. Obi-Wan's arrival with the children six months back was the hot topic of conversation for weeks.

The story that Obi-Wan told was that he was a former freighter captain who decided to sell his ship and settle down on Sokoris after his brother and sister-in-law had both died and left him with their children. It was the best story that he could come up with on short notice.

As per custom, Lena gave Luke one of his favorite sweets, much to the delight of the boy. She loved spoiling both of the children, something that Obi-Wan tried unsuccessfully to discourage. She never had children, so the middle-aged shopkeeper delighted in giving both Siri and Luke a lot of attention when he visited the store.

"How are the children doing?" She asked as came out from behind the counter.

"They're fine, Mrs. Meru. How are you today?"

"Can't complain," she returned good naturedly. She then turned her attention to the baby, "Now, I've given Luke his present, let me see if I have something for the little princess here." Lena then produced a small toy in the shape of a ring and handed it to her, "I thought that this might help her with her teething. Babies like to have something to bite onto to."

"Thank you so much, but these gifts aren't necessary."

Lena smiled, "Very few gifts are, Mister Kenobi."

Obi-Wan could not help but laugh, this woman was nothing if not persistent. "Is my supply shipment ready yet?"

The shopkeeper returned to her counter and punched up a few things on the store's computer. "Yes, everything is ready, I'll signal the droids to begin loading it."

"Thank you." Obi-Wan looked down and noticed that Luke was no longer next to him. The boy had a bad habit of going off to explore when they were in town. A quick look around the room, however, revealed that he had not run off. He was staring at a holo terminal on the other side of the store which appeared to be displaying news stories. When Sokoris got an off-world shipment, holo programs with galaxy-wide news came with it. It was always out of date, sometimes by months, but Lena and her husband still displayed them in their store.

He turned back to Lena and adopted a casual tone, "Is there anything interesting going on in the galaxy?"

"The Empire has annexed more territory, and the shipyards on Kuat have announced that they are doubling production. Also, the last Empire Day seemed to go off without a hitch." Lena added sarcastically, "We really wouldn't want anything to interfere with the Emperor's worship, now would we?"

The sentiment regarding the Empire on Sokoris was decidedly negative. In the time that he had been on this world, Obi-Wan had not heard one positive thing said about it. Most of the population did not trust the Emperor any more than they trusted the Republic. However, all that he had spoken to had a live-and-let-live philosophy; as long as the Empire stayed out of their business, they did not care what it did to the rest of the galaxy.

Luke then ran up to him and grabbed him by the arm, "Ben, come see this."

Giving Lena an apologetic smile for the interruption, Obi-Wan allowed himself to be led to the holo terminal. "What is it?"

The boy then pointed to what was being displayed, "Who is she? She's beautiful."

What Obi-Wan saw nearly made him drop baby Siri in shock. There, in the finest gowns that credits could buy and surrounded by stormtroopers, was, according to the caption, _"Leia Vader, daughter of Lord Darth Vader."_ He had not seen the girl since shortly after she was born. He was surprised how much she looked like Padmé, but in the way she smiled he could see Anakin clearly. There was no doubt that the child he was seeing was their offspring.

It took nearly all of his Jedi restraint to keep his composure. The holo was from the last Empire day celebration on Coruscant and it appeared that Leia had become a major celebrity.

Lena chose that moment to come up to them, "Supposedly, that is Vader's kid. I didn't even think that monstrosity was even human, let alone had the ability to father a child." She shook her head, "It makes you wonder what kind of a woman would let herself be..." Lena then remembered that she was in the presence of young ears and she cut her comment short.

Siri began crying, giving Obi-Wan a merciful distraction from what he was viewing. As he attempted to calm her, the Jedi walked away from the holo-viewer. He did not want to look at it anymore. Guilt, an emotion that was his only companion on Tatooine, came upon him with a vengeance.

He was supposed to have rescued her from Vader, but now she was firmly in his clutches. No matter how much he tried to tell himself that he did the right thing by choosing to ignore Master Yoda's wishes and focus on keeping Luke safe, Obi-Wan still could not completely convince himself that he did not make a horrible choice.

Yoda had not been happy with his choice, but said little when Obi-Wan let him know. One thing the ancient master did say cut him deeply, _"Understand your choice, I do; but firmly in the darkness, the girl will be. Worse, I fear things are."_

It did not take long to calm the baby, which was a change from the usual. However, Obi-Wan could not bring himself to return to the holo-viewer. He could not bear to see Leia and be reminded of the life that he had doomed her to by his inaction.

On the outside, she seemed to have everything going for her. Her father's position had guaranteed that nothing would be denied her; nothing except freedom. She was doomed to the bondage of the dark side and would, for the rest of her life, be a pawn of both the Emperor and Vader.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes to try to block out the images of Leia's future. She would either be a victim or a perpetrator of heinous crimes, probably both. He wished that he could hope that his former apprentice would spare her Sith teachings, but he knew that it was a fool's hope. The child that he saw in the holo had very little about her that seemed childish. He could see it in her stance and in her walk, Leia was nearly bursting with power.

"Ben, what's wrong?"

He did not know how long Luke had been standing there. Obi-Wan looked down and saw that the boy looked very concerned. "It's nothing, we need to get ready to go."

The boy continued to stare at him, "No, there's something wrong."

Even without formal training in the ways of the Force, Luke was still very perceptive to the emotions of others--even more than Anakin was as a child. Obi-Wan had not begun to teach him yet, but he had to begin very soon. He wanted to give the child time to grieve, something he never allowed Anakin after the loss of his mother. "We must go."

Luke frowned, "Who was that girl on the holo? It was like..."

"What was it like?"

"It was like I should know her, or something."

A horrific thought then crossed Obi-Wan's mind; he wondered if there would ever come a day when Luke would have to face his own twin in combat. _It was not supposed to be this way; why did any of this have to happen?_ It was a question that he had been asking for eight years, and Obi-Wan had given up long ago on ever finding the answer.

"She's just a girl, Luke." He hated how easily the lie made it out of his mouth. "We need to leave, there is much that needs to be done."

* * *

Leia was still sleeping in the ship's infirmary. Vader did not like leaving her there, but the trance that he had put her in would keep her out for hours. There would be no dinner with the Kuati royal family tonight; that would have to be postponed. He did not care if they were inconvenienced. If he had it his way, Leia would not be going to any of these sorts of events; but his master had other plans. 

He was on the bridge when he felt the massive disturbance in the Force that signaled Leia's distress. He and ten stormtroopers rushed to her quarters to find the place in shambles. Bade Nilor was in the corner, cowering; and Leia was hunched down on the floor in obvious pain. Glass was broken all around her, and it appeared that objects had been flying around the room.

After Leia was secure, he had ordered Nilor to be taken to a hold cell for questioning. Vader knew that somehow this was her tutor's fault. He hated the man who Sidious had appointed to become a part of his daughter's life and wanted nothing more than to slowly kill him. However, his master had expressly forbidden him to do anything to Nilor.

Things had changed now, he had done something to Leia. A massive surge of the Force like that was caused only by extreme anger or distress; and Nilor was the only one who could have caused it.

After Vader left the infirmary, he headed straight for the holding cells. As soon as he entered, Nilor stood to his feet. "Lord Vader, is your daughter all right?"

The Sith wanted to choke him right there, but restrained himself for the moment. Using the Force, Vader pushed into the man's mind but found that it was very difficult. There were a small minority of humans who were nearly impossible to read and the professor seemed to be one of them. He was certain that aspect of Nilor was not lost on Sidious when he decided to appoint him. "You will tell me everything that happened."

Nilor began to stammer nervously, "We were talking about her studies and then I asked her if everything was all right. I don't understand what I said to make her so angry."

Vader could see fear in this man's eyes--fear of him and fear of his daughter. "What did you say to provoke her?"

"Nothing, I promise you. I am very fond of Miss Vader, I would not want anything to happen to her."

The Sith had heard enough; he brought up his hand and began choking Nilor with the Force. "She is my child and your better. Don't ever forget that!"

Nilor continued in his attempts to struggle but there was nothing he could do against the Sith's power. Suddenly, a stormtrooper entered the room. "Lord Vader, the Emperor is demanding to speak with you immediately."

Vader knew that there was nothing coincidental about the Emperor's timing. _I should have known he would find out; he doesn't want me to do anything to his spy._ Not wanting to give the Emperor an excuse to take Leia from him, Vader released the nearly unconscious man and dropped him on the floor.

Without another word, Vader left the holding cell and made his way quickly to his quarters. He turned on the communicator and knelt in submission before the Emperor's holo. "What is thy bidding, my master?"

"Vader, why do you have Nilor locked up?"

"There was an incident with Leia, and he was there. I put him in a holding cell until I could determine his involvement."

"What incident?"

Vader did not want to tell Sidious what happened; but there was little point, and much risk in keeping it from him. "A strong manifestation of the Force; she was completely overwhelmed."

Sidious smiled thoughtfully, "Interesting...and you believe that Bade Nilor was somehow involved?"

"I cannot discount it."

"You are to release him immediately."

He was angry, but not surprised. Nilor was one of Sidious' favorite servants. He would comply, but watch this man even more. "Yes Master."

"Excellent." The transmission was suddenly cut leaving Vader alone.

He got up and quickly made his way to the infirmary. Leia was still sleeping, but he knew she would awaken soon. In her sleep, she looked so peaceful; but looks were very deceiving. Reaching in her mind, he could sense great turmoil. Of course, mental turmoil was necessary for one to effectively use the dark side.

For the first time since he had begun her training, Vader had inklings of doubt over what he was planning for his daughter. She was so young, and he wondered if maybe what he was teaching her was too much. _Padmé would have been appalled. _

Vader quickly banished these dangerous thoughts. He could not afford allow this weakness right now, and he definitely could not afford to wait until Leia was older to prepare her to help him take his master's place. _Maybe I can change a few things to keep her from having any more of these incidents._

Leia began to awaken; she opened her eyes and looked right up at her father. "What happened?"

"What do you remember?"

She slowly sat up, "I was with Professor Nilor, and we were talking. I got angry."

"What were you talking about?"

Leia shook her head, "I'm not sure."

Vader could not tell if she was telling the complete truth or whether she was holding back something. He decided that now was not the time to confront his daughter about it. "How do you feel?"

Tears began to fall and Leia quickly wiped them away. "Fine." Leia turned from her father, "Did we miss the dinner?"

"You are not to concern yourself with such things," he commanded.

Leia nodded but still did not look at him, "Yes." Finally, she turned back to face him. "Is Professor Nilor...all right?"

Vader could sense her fear; but it was not fear of him or anyone else. "He is alive."

The girl then began to sob, "I might have killed him! I could have killed him!"

The Sith had no idea how to respond to this. In all of his experience, he had never dealt with a hysterical child. Vader's desire to kill Nilor rose up within him again; this man was the cause of her distress. "He is fine, you did not harm him."

Leia continued to cry, "What if I killed him?"

Vader did not know how to answer. He did not want to tell her that, if he had his way, there most likely would be many that she would have to kill for the sake of his new order when she came of age. "You didn't, and that's the end of it."

"It felt so awful."

"Do not be afraid of power; remember, it is there to be utilized," he ordered.

Leia's tears stopped flowing, "I don't know if I want this power."

The Sith was outraged at her declaration. "You do not have a choice!" In anger, he grabbed her by the shoulders, "It is part of you; and you cannot deny it!"

She looked up at her father in fear, "Why?"

Vader shook her, "It is your destiny!"

"Please don't hurt me," she begged.

Suddenly sobered, Vader released his daughter from his grasp. He could not help but be reminded of the last time he saw Padmé during that horrible night on Mustafar. The last time she looked at him was in fear--the same fear that his child had for him now.

He could feel Leia's relief, but there was still great fear. She rubbed her shoulder where he had held her tightly; he had caused her pain, something he had not done before. "Come now, you have been released from the infirmary. I will have someone take you back to your quarters." Vader did not want to take her back himself; he did not think that he could stand being that close to her and being able to sense of her fear of him. _I have to try another approach with her; I can't allow my own child to be terrified of me._


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter 14:**_

It was the day of the Aldera Mid-Spring Fair; a chance for Alderaanians of all stripes to come together to celebrate the season. Breha had originally not wanted to attend this year; but such decisions had been out of her control for a while.

Malix had told her that he wanted to event to _"showcase the benefits of Alderaan's permanent alliance with the Empire."_ He told the queen, in no uncertain terms, that she and he were to conduct themselves _"like the good friends that we are."_

Even though her attendance was compulsory, Breha tried to make the best of it. She had since accepted her role in Malix's scheme, and decided that it did her or Alderaan no good to fight against the vast machine of the Empire. She believed that maybe by working with Malix, she could influence him in little ways; it was all she could do.

After she had finished preparing for the event, Breha spent time staring out the window onto the gardens. Despite the circumstances, it was a lovely spring day. If it were not for a few small clouds in the sky, it would have been perfect.

She turned when she heard Zara enter the room, "I know, Malix is probably getting impatient; tell him I'm ready."

Her handmaiden came up to the queen and gave a curtsy. "He is waiting, but he's not complaining about it just yet."

"I figured he would be threatening to send in stormtroopers by now."

Zara laughed and shook her head, "Not yet, My Queen; he seems to be in a good mood."

"I bet he is; he has me on his arm all afternoon." The Imperial governor had been very cheerful lately; and Breha knew it had to do with her recent concessions. She had not argued with any of his decisions lately, and he believed that he had finally brought the queen under his full control.

"I wish I could do something to make things better for you."

Breha smiled, "Knowing that I have a friend has made things better. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you and the other handmaidens."

"We will be with you until the end," Zara promised.

"I know, but I don't want to see anything happen to any of you. In some ways, you are in far more physical danger than I." Breha was painfully aware that her handmaidens were in the firing line if Malix ever decided he needed to show the queen the power that he had over her. He had already killed one of her guards, and nearly killed Zara when they tried to defend her against his abuse.

The handmaiden shook her head, "Do not worry yourself on our account."

"But you could die!"

"Then we'll die doing our queen's will; I can't think of a better ending."

The queen had to fight back tears; she knew that she did not deserve the devotion that they were giving her. "We'd better go," Breha declared.

With as much regal dignity that she could muster, the queen made her way to the main hall to find Malix waiting for her. He turned to her with a smile, "Your Highness, you look absolutely stunning."

Wanting to keep the afternoon as free of unnecessary tension as possible, Breha decided to be cordial. She returned his smile, "Thank you Governor." As per custom, he held out his arm, and the queen tried her best to not flinch as she took it.

"I heard that there is a large crowd already gathered; they are waiting for their queen."

"Then we mustn't tarry, let's go."

Breha tried to think of something positive about this event during the short ride to the fairgrounds. The fair was held on a planetary holiday and was always one of the most anticipated events by the people that lived in the capital, and the rest of the planet. It drew millions of visitors.

When she arrived, however, the first thing she noticed was not the large banners that usually displayed the Alderaanian Royal Crest. Instead, she saw banners with the Imperial symbol looming over the entire crowd. It was clear to her that this celebration was not Alderaanian culture on proud display. It was going to be a showcase of Imperial propaganda; and she was to be a willing participant.

Malix looked over at the queen and noticed her dumbfounded stare. "Is there a problem?"

"It's just...they've changed the decorations this year."

"Oh yes, as per my request. I suggested to the organizers a few months back that displaying the symbols of the Empire would go a long way to give our people a sense of pride concerning their status as subjects of the Emperor."

_In other words, you threatened them with imprisonment, or worse, if they did not do exactly as ordered._ Breha knew that she should not have been surprised, but it still was jarring to see the Imperial symbol everywhere she looked.

The vehicle stopped and Malix helped her out. She was greeted by a crowd of several thousand onlookers. The governor was in his element; he was waving to the crowd and soaking up the attention that he was receiving.

Putting on her best face in front of her people, the queen greeted them by waving in the royal style. She noticed that the crowd seemed different than normal. In years past, she could almost sense the people's happiness and excitement at being at this event.

This year, it was very different; the crowd seemed much more quiet and subdued. Breha could feel coldness coming from them. She knew that her standing in the eyes of her people had been lowered since she began speaking on Malix's behalf; but she was not aware how much. Opinion polls had been outlawed since the governor took control.

Breha looked up and noticed that the formerly small clouds had grown and the sky was beginning to noticeably darken. She was never one to believe in superstitions, but the queen could not help but wonder if it was a bad omen.

Malix seemed unaffected by the crowd's behavior; Breha wondered if he was putting on an act. It was hard to determine if he was just a really good politician, or if he truly believed that he was beloved by the people of Alderaan. The queen had long ago speculated that his mental state was dubious, but she wondered if he was as far gone as to be that delusional.

She was relieved that there were to be no speeches today. The Mid-Spring Fair was not the time for political posturing. Still, the queen knew that just willingly being by Malix's side during this very public event validated his position.

Even though Malix strictly controlled what news she heard from outside the palace walls, Breha had not been completely insolated from the rumors that were beginning to swirl around regarding her and the governor. During her recent trip to Coruscant, she had overheard many comments speculating as to the nature of their relationship.

In the eyes of the Coruscant high society, there was almost unanimous agreement that her and Malix's relationship was physical; and she knew that the governor had not made any attempts to correct the false assumptions.

It was one thing to know that those things were being said among Coruscant high society; beings there consumed scandalous gossip like it was a drug. However, knowing that her own people were saying those things was another. No matter how much she tried to not let it bother her, it still hurt when she saw those in the crowd whisper knowingly to each other while watching her and Malix arrive together.

Malix held out his arm and she allowed herself to be led away from the entry area. Stormtroopers surrounded them as they walked. The queen supposed that she would never get used to having the white armored soldiers always present when she was in public.

The governor had insisted that her Alderaanian security force was not adequate and had given most of their duties to his own men. There were still a few royal guards employed in the queen's service, but Malix had made it clear that he had allowed them to stay only as an indulgence to her.

The first event of the Mid-Spring Fair that the queen was scheduled to attend was a performance of students from one of Alderaan's most famous dance academies. The queen was seated in the covered royal box of the outdoor theater, and Malix sat down beside her.

"When is the performance going to begin?"

Breha checked the program, "In about five minutes."

Malix smiled, "Excellent, I heard that these students are quite good. If they are, maybe I should schedule some performances for them on Imperial Center. You know, bring a bit of Alderaan to the rest of the galaxy. I might even be able to arrange a performance for the Emperor."

Breha was doubtful that the governor's influence on Coruscant was good enough to arrange that; but decided not to remind him of that. "Maybe."

"Yes, I should do that." Malix nodded thoughtfully.

Breha was very grateful that any further conversation was halted by the start of the performance. It was a dance interpretation of one of Alderaan's classic myths. The story was about a ruler who feared losing his power so much that he made foolish choices and eventually lost everything he had. Being a well-known myth, she knew that the story ended with the ruler being overcome with despair and killing himself as his palace burned. Of all the stories, this one was especially painful to watch.

The queen tried to distract herself from the performance; she noticed that the sky had grown even darker and the wind had begun to pick up. A storm was coming.

The first thunderclap was heard fifteen minutes into the performance, and the rain began shortly thereafter. The royal box afforded Breha protection from inclement weather, but the rest of the crowd and the dancers were unprotected from the rain and the wind.

All hopes that the storm was going to be quick were dashed after twenty more minutes of driving rain. Despite it all, the students continued the dance and the bulk of the audience remained to watch.

The intermission was nearing and Breha imagined that would then be announced that the rest of the performance would be cancelled due to the weather. There had been a few flashes of lightning, and safety was becoming an issue.

It was as the students were performing their final dance before intermission when things suddenly went very wrong. She noticed someone run out from backstage holding something in his hand. The dancers immediately scrambled away from him as he ran to the middle of the stage.

He turned and Breha finally got a good look at him. Even from the distance, she recognized the man immediately. It was the son of one of her most senior advisors. She did not have time to understand what it all meant before she heard Malix shouting, "It's an assassin, defend the queen!"

Immediately, Breha realized what the man was holding; it was a blaster. He aimed the weapon directly at the queen. Before she had a chance to react, Malix dove in front of her and she then heard an explosion. It was the last thing she heard before slipping into unconsciousness.

* * *

There were thirty hours in a day on Dagobah; it was something that Yoda had yet to get used to in his eight year exile. It was hard to fill those long hours with the few chores that he had to accomplish. Most of his day was spent in meditation; but lately that had become more difficult. 

The ancient master could feel even greater darkness within the Force; more so than ever. He knew it had to do with Leia; the Force seemed to be in mourning for the child who had been given over to the dark side.

Every day she was getting harder to sense, and what he did feel from her greatly disturbed him. It was one thing for an adult to choose to give themselves to the dark side, but a child has no choice. Leia's only view of the Force had come from her father's warped perspective and the fruit of that teaching was only beginning to appear.

Recently, an even greater darkness seemed to descend upon the child. He did not know what caused it; but he could feel the dark side's hold on her tighten considerably.

"Yoda?"

The master looked up from the pot of stew that he was stirring to find the transcended form of Qui-Gon Jinn before him. "News, you have?"

He shook his head, "I'm sorry master; I couldn't reach the girl."

Yoda was disappointed, but not surprised. He had asked Qui-Gon to see if he could make contact with Leia. His transcended form would, in theory, have a greater chance of reaching her than someone still in the physical plane. However, it was a long-shot from the beginning.

He nodded sadly, "Little we can do."

"I know it's bad. If only Obi-Wan could have been able to rescue her."

Yoda shook his head sadly, "Made his decision, Obi-Wan has. Decided to protect one twin at the expense of the other."

"I cannot say that I would make a different choice if I were in his position," Qui-Gon conceded reluctantly.

"True, but dark is the future if she remains under her father's influence. Meant to be, perhaps this is."

Qui-Gon shook his head, "I cannot believe that darkness is Leia's destiny."

"Nevertheless, changed forever she has been; but events are in motion."

"Yes, I feel that as well. I believe we should wait and see how things unfold."

Yoda nodded, "Yes, in the Force we must trust; it is all we can do."

"As we always have, old friend."

* * *

Leia looked in the mirror once more; it was nearly time for her to go down to Kuat to meet one of the royal families and she wanted to look her best. She loved her gown; it was pure shimmersilk and dark green in color. It, along with several other gowns, had been handmade by the finest tailor on Imperial Center. It was the most beautiful dress that Leia had ever seen; and she was glad that she was finally getting a chance to wear it. 

She was happy that the trip to Kuat was finally going to happen. Leia had been on her father's ship for weeks straight and she was longing for different surroundings. Her dinner with the royal family had originally been cancelled, but had been rescheduled five days later. Leia suspected that the Emperor had been the one to insist the meeting take place; she knew her father was not in favor of it.

Leia turned from the mirror and sat down on her bed. Vader was due to arrive in five minutes to escort her to the shuttle; Leia was certain that he would not be one second late or early.

Her head was hurting; it was a dull throbbing pain that she had endured off and on for the few days. It was not unbearable, but it was very unpleasant. Leia suspected that the pain had something to do with her incident a few days ago. Because of that, she had not told her father about it; Leia felt that he did not want to discuss anything connected to what happened.

The last few days had been very difficult. Her routine was the same; she had tutoring with Professor Nilor in the morning and training with her father in the evenings. However, her interaction with both of the men had felt strained.

When she asked her father what happened to her that night, he usually responded with one-word answers and immediately changed the subject. He had also noticeably changed her training. He focused more on outward abilities like combat training and telekinesis, but had lessened his instruction on inward aspects of the Force like harnessing anger to increase power.

Her tutoring with Nilor was even more awkward; Leia could tell that he was making a marked effort to keep a physical distance from her. He treated her like she was a thermal detonator that was seconds from going off.

In some ways, she was more upset by her tutor's treatment than her father's. She was used to Vader being standoffish and cold, but Nilor had been someone that she had grown very fond of. He was supportive and kind; and he always knew how to make her smile.

Leia was ashamed of what happened, and she wanted to apologize; but her father had forbidden it. In the longest conversation about the incident that she had with Vader, he had ordered her to never apologize to a lower man such as Nilor; such actions showed weakness.

Right on schedule, she felt her father's approach to her quarters. As usual, he was never late or early. He was so precise that Leia suspected that the ship's crewmen set their chronos by his arrivals. She got up from the bed, gave herself one more look in the mirror, and headed to the door to meet him.

When she opened the door, Leia felt something odd coming from Vader. It was hard for her to distinguish exactly what the emotions were, but they began the moment that he saw her. She suddenly had a bad feeling about their trip to Kuat. Previous experience had proved that when her father's emotions were the most difficult to read, his mood during those times was generally such that being around him was even tougher than normal.

"Is there something wrong?"

Vader did not speak at first; he looked down at his daughter for several seconds before finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. "No, nothing is wrong."

Leia knew that he was lying, but decided it was best not to tell him that. "Is the shuttle ready?"

"Of course, are you ready to leave?"

Leia wanted to ask him why he was so upset at seeing her. She wanted to know if she had done something wrong, but those questions seemed to dissipate on her tongue before she had a chance to speak them. All she could manage was a one word answer, "Yes."

Father and daughter walked in silence toward the shuttle bay. The trip down to the planet was short, but to Leia it seemed like an eternity. Her father did not speak to her, and all of Leia's attempts at conversation failed. She was relieved when the ship finally touched down and they could depart.

As usual for trips such as this, Vader and Leia were greeted by a cadre of dignitaries hoping to impress the representatives of the Emperor. Nearly two dozen Kuati nobles waited as they walked down the gangplank; all of them with smiles plastered on their faces.

Leia reached out with the Force to the minds of those waiting to get a sense of what they were feeling. She could feel much fear from them; it was the standard reaction when her father was near. His presence always brought terror to others.

An elderly man with expensive robes walked out of crowd, followed by an elderly woman that Leia assumed to be his wife. There was absolutely nothing warm and friendly about these people. She had encountered these types of people before when she was last on Imperial Center. Behind the smiles and carefully crafted words lied nothing but ambition. They would do or say anything to get just a little more power and influence from the Emperor.

Leia now understood why her father did not want to come here; he did not want to participate in this charade. He always desired more power; that was at the heart of Sith teachings. However, those teachings were clear that power gained in such a manner was not real might. True power was taken by force, not begged for.

The couple bowed as they approached, and the man greeted them, "Lord Vader, you and your daughter honor our home with your visit. I am Lord Sorren E'besk and this is my wife Lady Alenna"

The woman addressed Leia, "Miss Vader, we are especially thankful that you could come. We are delighted to have such a distinguished presence at our table."

Leia gave her most practiced diplomatic smile, "Thank you, I am glad that I could join you. I have been greatly looking forward to visiting this world."

"I see the stories do not do you justice; you are very polished and articulate for one so young," stated Lady Alenna. "I see The Emperor and your father have helped you overcome your early difficulties."

"Difficulties?"

"Yes, I have heard many tales about what you went through before you were found, but I won't burden you by making you relive those awful memories."

Vader interrupted, "Perhaps we should return to the matter at hand."

Leia could feel a surge of anger coming from her father, more so than usual. She now wished that she could return to the ship and go back to her quarters, but she would have to endure this for several more hours. Judging from her father's mood and the E'besk's general demeanor, Leia greatly feared what would happen in the next few hours.

* * *

It had been six hours since the attack and Breha was still unconscious. Malix had refused to leave her side. He had ordered everyone except the medical personnel away. Even the annoying handmaidens had been sent back to the palace. 

They had dared to try to kill his beloved; and now his precious angel was suffering in a hospital bed. The Alderaanians liked to preach peace and understanding but he now knew that at heart they were killers. This so called pacifist society had produced an assassin who would do something like this.

That assassin was now in a morgue; stormtroopers open fired on him as he was attacking but it was too late to keep Breha from harm. Afterward, she had been rushed to the hospital under tight security and underwent emergency surgery to repair the damage. Three hours later, doctors came out and reported that it had been a very close call, but they were confident that she would fully recover.

He brushed a strand of hair away from her face. Even asleep in a hospital bed his queen was breathtakingly beautiful. Malix traced his fingers over her forehead and cheeks. This was the first time that he had been able to get so close to her. He had never really been able to touch and care for her like he wanted; she never would let him.

He believed that she would eventually come to him willingly, but so far she had proved to be very stubborn. She was still holding on to her love for her dead husband. He hoped that time would heal the wound of losing Bail Organa, and he had done his best to help her get over her loss. However, his patience was coming to an end.

Malix's lightly traced his fingers over her lips. He wished that she would allow him to make her forget her traitor husband and the pain that he had caused her. The governor's actions when he first arrived on the planet were the cause of her hesitation to accept him; that much he knew. Malix wished that she had been submissive to his rule from the very beginning; if she was, he would not have had to have been so harsh with her. He could not have allowed any rebellion in such a perilous time.

The governor had thought a lot about his future with her. After a proper engagement period, they would marry. He had already picked out the perfect spot for the ceremony; the palace gardens in the springtime were one of the most beautiful places in the galaxy.

However, the beauty of the gardens would pale in comparison to his lovely bride. She would be dressed in the finest gown money could buy; and her long black hair would be curled and flowing free. That was his favorite way she wore her hair; he never liked it when it was twisted into tight elaborate knots on her head.

His beloved would be positively beaming as she took his hand in marriage. Malix knew that he would have a hard time keeping his own emotions under control as she professed words of love and devotion to him and him alone.

Malix took Breha's hand, and as he did she stirred slightly. He did not remove his hand from hers, he did not want to let go. Finally, she slowly opened her eyes.

"I'm so happy you're awake."

The queen wearily turned her head in the direction of Malix's voice, "What happened?"

"There was an assassination attempt, but the doctors tell me that you will be fine."

Breha looked down to see that Malix had a firm hold of her hand, but did not comment or make an attempt to remove it. "Why?"

"He and his cohorts are murderers. The assassin is dead; you have nothing to worry about; and I will not rest until I see all of his co-conspirators dead. That I promise you."

A tear fell from the corner of her eye, "There were co-conspirators?"

Malix nodded, "Of course there were, we are still investigating but we will find everyone that was involved. I've increased security measures, and nearly two hundred have been arrested for questioning."

Breha shook her head, and more tears fell. Malix hated seeing her like this. "Don't worry, I will do what it takes to make Alderaan secure. You'll never need to fear again."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15:**_

Siri was finally asleep, and Obi-Wan was very grateful. She had woken up in the middle of the night and he had spent the last hour rocking her back to sleep. She was never easy to deal with, but lately she had been even more difficult. The Jedi was at a loss on how to help her. Siri was not Force sensitive so the calming techniques that he had learned during his brief time helping in the crèche were of little use.

He was learning, but very slowly. Obi-Wan hoped that she would not have any permanent damage because of his inexperience. The job of caring for an infant that was not one of Anakin's children was the last thing he ever imagined would be put upon him; but the Force seemed to have other plans.

Despite all of the troubles that he had with Siri, Obi-Wan had grown very fond of her and could not help but care for her very much. He felt sorry for her. She did not ask to be brought up by an old Jedi with no parenting experience. She did not ask to be put in the middle of a very dangerous situation. The epic battle between Jedi and Sith should not have been a part of her life, but her proximity to him made it so. Obi-Wan hoped with all that was in him that she would not be another innocent victim of the war.

He stood, walked back to her crib, and carefully laid the child back down. Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief when she did not awaken. As he looked down at the girl, the Force suddenly revealed something to him. In that moment, he knew that the baby would not be in his care for very much longer; someone else would raise Siri.

Obi-Wan wondered what this meant; he wondered what would change to make it so. A renewed desire to begin Luke's training welled up within him; he knew that it was even more crucial now. Events were in motion, and there was nothing that he could do to stop them.

The Jedi strode quietly to Luke's room. He was the opposite of his cousin; where she seemed to be constantly on edge, he was calm and secure. The boy still spoke of his aunt and uncle, but the grief over their loss seemed to have passed. Occasionally, he would have nightmares about the Tusken Raiders that brutally killed Owen and Beru, but those dreams were becoming fewer and far between.

Luke was not like his father at all. Anakin never learned how to relax and be content, but it was natural for his son. It seemed that Luke only inherited his father's physical characteristics, and his never-ending curiosity. Obi-Wan could not count the number of times the boy asked, "Why?"

The Jedi was about to return to his own bedroom but was stopped by Luke's voice, "Ben, is something wrong?"

"No, I was only checking on you."

"Was Siri crying?"

Obi-Wan nodded, "Yes, but she is asleep now."

"Do you think she knows what happened to Aunt Beru? Maybe that is why she is so sad."

"I don't know." Although it seemed impossible for a non-Force sensitive child, Obi-Wan had entertained the thought that maybe the baby had been somehow imprinted by her experiences at birth.

"She doesn't trust you."

"How do you know that?"

Luke shrugged, "I'm not sure, I just feel it when she cries."

Obi-Wan sat down on the bed next to him. This was not the first time that Luke had perceived things through the Force, despite the fact that he was untrained. "It was the Force that you felt. It was speaking to you."

"Why would it speak to me?"

Luke had rudimentary knowledge of the Force. Obi-Wan had told him a few things about it; but had not gone into detail, deciding to wait until the boy's formal training could begin. "You have a special gift Luke, a gift that allows you to perceive many things outside the realm of most beings. I can teach you how to use that gift. Would you like to learn more about the Force?"

Luke did not answer immediately. Instead he weighed his caregiver's words carefully. In that moment, Obi-Wan could again see clearly that this boy was unlike his father. Anakin jumped on the chance to become a Jedi without thinking. The willingness to be patient and think something through was the legacy of Luke's mother. The Jedi could clearly see Padmé Amidala's reflection in the small boy.

Finally, he answered, "Yes, I want to learn."

"This isn't going to be easy."

"I understand Ben; please teach me about the Force."

* * *

The visit to Kuat was excruciatingly long, and dinner had not even begun. They had spent the last two hours touring one of the shipyard offices and Vader had inspected some of their designs. Leia was on edge; the tension caused by her father's mood was nearly making her sick. The Kuati royals, for their part, were not making it easier. 

They were the typical examples of everything that was wrong with the upper echelons of Imperial society; they were haughty sycophants who had never in their lives seen any hardship. Out of touch was not a strong enough phrase to describe Lord and Lady E'besk. They rightly feared Vader, but were too blind to see that he had little patience for their frivolity.

When dinner finally began, Leia breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the evening was nearly over. They were escorted to a large table which appeared to seat at least fifty, but only Lord and Lady E'besk, Leia, Vader, along with a few other members of the royal family that had not been introduced officially, were going to be seated.

Leia was surprised to see her father sit down in the seat across from her. It was a first for her; in the time that she had known him, she had not seen him ever sit down. She had seen him knelt in meditation and in front of the Emperor, but never seated. He would not be eating; Leia noted that the staff was not serving him the first course as they were the rest of the guests.

She was aware her father not eating in public was because of his suit. Leia had asked him once why the suit was necessary and he told her only that he was burned years ago. She did not ask him again; it was obvious that it was something that he did not like to talk about.

Leia had never seen him without the mask, and had speculated a few times over what he really looked like. She knew he was human, but it was difficult for her to imagine anything but the black mask. She was not certain that she even wanted to see what was underneath it.

The conversation between the adults concerned matters that Leia was not familiar with. Vader questioned Lord E'besk regarding new designs that were being considered for the Imperial fleet. She was content to sit silently; she did not want to talk to these people. Leia wanted nothing more than to leave this planet and go back to her father's flagship.

As the next few courses were served, Leia feigned interest in the conversation but her mind was far from there; it was on the figure sitting across the table. She knew that Vader was only attending the dinner for her. He had told her that he would always be with her and Leia was not sure if she was frightened or comforted by his promise.

In the months that she had been with him on the _Devastator_, she had gotten used to his constant presence, and even grown somewhat fond of him at times. However, she could not say that she loved him, and she certainly could not say that her father loved her.

Leia did not even know if it was possible for him to love anyone. The Sith teachings that she had been exposed to made no mention of it. She wondered, not for the first time, if he had loved her mother before she had died.

Her birth mother was still an enigma to Leia. She had wondered many times who she was, what she looked like, and why she had died. She was haunted by the Emperor's few cryptic words regarding her mother: _"It was a very tragic situation; your father never did learn how to control his anger and sometimes that causes unfortunate...accidents."_

Leia had seen her father's temper, either directed at her or one of his subordinates. Three months earlier, one particular crew member that had, on a few occasions, escorted her through the ship displeased Vader in some manner and she never saw him again. Leia asked another crew member if he was sent to another ship, but her question was met with uncomfortable silence.

As time wore on, Leia wondered if something bad had happened to the man, if he had died just like her mother. She wondered if his death another of the _"unfortunate accidents"_ that the Emperor said was sometimes the result of her father's anger.

From her teachings, Leia knew that the history of the Sith was written in blood. She had been taught that violence was necessary to achieve one's goals. She knew that her father had killed many, but it disturbed her greatly to think that her mother might have been one of them. It angered and frightened her at the same time.

Leia was so lost in thought that it took her a few moments to realize that she was being addressed. "I apologize Lady Alenna; what was it that you said?"

The elderly woman regarded her coldly before replacing it with a fake smile. "Forgive me, I was just asking what you thought of our world."

It took Leia a few seconds to remember one of the politically correct responses that Professor Nilor had made her practice for occasions such as these. "This world is a great asset to the Empire and all its citizens. Kuat is a shining example of the benefits of Imperial cooperation. It is good to see leaders, such as yourselves, set such a great example for the entire galaxy. Such loyalty will be rewarded."

Lord E'besk and Lady Alenna grinned simultaneously at Leia's promise of reward. It was the first genuine smile of the entire visit. She realized that it was the only thing that drove these people. They could care less about the welfare of their people; their only thought was more power and wealth.

She turned toward her father, who was staring directly at her. She experienced a resurgence of that odd emotion that she had felt from him before. Leia still could not understand what he was feeling. To her, it almost seemed like he was being reminded of something painful. His internal war was waging so powerfully that he could not shield it from his Force sensitive daughter.

"We fully support the Empire," Lord E'besk vowed. "We are the Emperor's most humble servants."

Leia doubted that very much, and wished that both of them would be quiet so she could finish her meal quickly; she had no such luck.

Lady Alenna decided to interject into the conversation. "I agree that full Imperial cooperation is key to prosperity for all. I hear that Alderaan is finally beginning to prosper under Moff Malix's hand; now that the rebellious elements of their society have been eliminated."

As soon as the words left the woman's mouth, Leia's heart began to beat rapidly. Feelings and emotions bombarded the young girl so quickly that she dropped her fork on her plate. She knew that she had once lived there, but her recollections of her time there had been becoming more and more unclear as the training with her father progressed.

However, in that tense moment, something changed dramatically. Leia remembered Alderaan. Memories of the time with her adopted parents bombarded her with so much force that the girl did not know if she could bear it any more. She remembered her mother tucking her in at night, she remembered her father hugging her and telling her that he loved her, and most of all, Leia remembered the time before the Sith teachings…when she was allowed to be a little girl.

Leia wanted to scream, but she could not manage a single sound. She wanted to run, but her legs felt weak. She suddenly felt her father's powerful Force presence invade her mind. Usually, Vader's connection to her mind was barely noticeable but there was now no denying it. For the first time in many months, Leia felt the full power of her father's mind.

_"Do not speak, daughter."_

_"You lied to me; you told me that they kidnapped me. They loved me, and I loved them!"_ From her own outrage to her father's mental pressure, Leia felt like her head was going to explode.

_"They took you from me!"_

The E'besk's and the other guests were completely oblivious to the war going on within the minds of the two extremely powerful beings in their midst. If they had, they would have known the wisest course of action would have been to run.

Lord E'besk shook his head, "The Alderaanians have not been fully subjected, I'm afraid. I heard that there was an assassination attempt on the queen just hours ago. Moff Malix is too young for such an assignment; I believe he's completely out of his depth."

Leia was torn away from the conflict with Vader when she heard about the queen. She found her voice, "What happened to her?"

Finally realizing that all was not well, Lady Alenna shot her husband a look of warning. She then answered, "As my husband reported, there was an assassination attempt on Queen Breha of Alderaan."

"Is she all right?" Leia demanded, ignoring her father's constant mental warnings.

"I am not certain; last I heard she was alive but seriously injured." The elderly woman then glanced nervously at Vader before continuing, "I have heard your story and know that the Organas kidnapped you when you were a child. I imagine that, despite all you endured, you might have formed an attachment with them. I am truly sorry."

Leia could feel cold rage coming from Vader, but it was being eclipsed by her own. "All I endured? They loved me, and I was taken from them!"

Lord E'besk shook his head, "I see Bail Organa's handiwork in this; he somehow convinced the girl that he had real affection for her. His execution was a long time coming."

She knew that Bail had been killed, but only at this moment did she truly comprehend it. _The creature killed my father!_ Instead of directing her anger at the perpetrator of the crime, Leia instead focused it on the one heartily approving of it. Even in her current state, she knew that she could do nothing against Vader.

She felt power coursing through her veins. Leia had felt this sensation before, but comparing this with what happened with Bade Nilor days earlier was like comparing a summer shower with a hurricane. Power was there for the taking; and she felt the familiar song of the dark side promising revenge for all who dare oppose her.

In the back of her mind, Leia could barely make out her father's mental voice. He was almost pleading for her to calm down, but it was easily being drowned out. With her natural ears, she could hear the sound of plates shattering, glasses breaking, and people yelling.

Leia remembered her lessons on how to focus her power. Taking a deep breath, she concentrated the power that had been threatening to make her explode. Her head stopped throbbing, and the plates and glasses stopped moving.

The guests at the table, save Leia and Vader, began scurrying around the room. Lady Alenna laughed nervously, "It must have been an earthquake; we're fortunate it only lasted a few seconds. That's odd though, we usually don't get seismic activity on this part of the continent." She turned to Leia, "Are you all right?"

Leia ignored the woman, and continued to focus her power and her hatred. She reached out her hand and did the first thing that came to her--she concentrated on Lord E'besk's throat and squeezed.

The man immediately put his hands to his neck and convulsed as he tried to breathe but was denied. Leia then saw a flash of movement at her side, and then her outstretched arm was firmly grabbed by the large gloved hand of her father.

The distraction immediately sobered the girl and she realized what she was doing. Leia released the man, and allowed Vader's mind to overwhelm hers. It took only a few seconds for the Force trance to take hold. As she was falling into a deep sleep, Leia knew that she would pay dearly for what just occurred, but she vowed that she would never again allow anyone to make her forget the ones from whom she was taken--the only ones who ever loved her.

* * *

Vader held onto his unconscious daughter tightly as he strode purposely through the ship. He was angry at Leia, but he was mostly angry at the foolish Kuati royals for provoking her, his master for making his daughter go through this idiotic charade, and finally at himself for allowing it to happen. 

He quickly made his way to Leia's quarters and laid her on the bed. She would sleep for several hours, and in that time he would have to determine what he would do next. He did not look forward to dealing with the child. For the first time in the Sith's existence, Darth Vader was at a loss on how to discipline a subordinate.

Leia was not just any subordinate--she was not one of his crew members; she was his daughter and that introduced several additional variables. If it was anyone else, Vader would have killed her without a thought for her disobedience. The thought of harming the girl was repugnant; and it was not only because she was his best chance at killing his master someday, but it was something much more.

As he watched her sleep, Vader was struck even more by how much Leia resembled his dead wife. Seeing her in the elaborate gown and interacting with the highest of society was a painful reminder of the woman that he had lost years ago. When his daughter spoke so eloquently those practiced lines to the E'besk's, he could not help but see Padmé shining through.

Vader's communications unit indicated that he had a message ordering him to contact the Emperor immediately. He was well aware that his master most likely heard about the incident and wanted to discus it. The Sith almost did not accept the message, Lord Sidious was the last being he wanted to talk to right now. However, Vader decided that it was best to get it over with.

He quickly made his way to his quarters and knelt before the holo transmitter. "What is thy bidding, my master?"

Sidious appeared before him, "I hear your daughter caused quite a stir on Kuat."

"It was a minor incident."

"Minor? That is not what I have heard; Lord E'besk is threatening to file charges of assault."

Vader wanted to scoff aloud. If the ridiculous nobleman even thought about doing such a thing there would be major consequences. "He provoked Leia."

Sidious ignored his apprentice, "I am confident that I will be able to convince him to not file any charges. It would never go anywhere in the courts, of course; but it would not look good for the Empire's new princess to be attacking nobles, especially nobles that control many of Kuat's shipyards."

"The E'besk's are fools."

The Emperor grinned; it was the same smile that never failed to irritate Vader. "Of course they are, my friend, but indeed useful fools."

"They would never oppose us; we would crush them and they know it."

Lord Sidious sighed dramatically, "You know little of the subtleties of politics, despite all that I have tried to teach you. Do you think that I am in the position I am in by killing indiscriminately?" He then paused to highlight his next point, "It is a lesson that young Leia must be taught as well."

Rage filled Vader at the mention of Leia. He did not want his master teaching her anything. "I will deal with my daughter."

"See that you do. I'm afraid that she's a little too much like her father, especially for the role that I have chosen for her. I was hoping that she would be more like her mother."

Vader knew that his master was trying to provoke him by the mention of his dead wife. It was all he could do to not take the bait. "She will do all that is expected of her; I will see to it."

The Emperor pretended that Vader had not spoken and continued his musings. "Amidala was an annoyance, but she served her purpose." He shook his head, "It is a shame, however, that she was killed. In time, we could have convinced her to see things our way; but we both know that it ended quite differently."

Vader did not think that he could remember a time that he wanted to kill Lord Sidious more. "Yes, my master."

"I wonder if it was wise to leave Leia in your custody. I have to admit, the girl is quite charming; and could grow up to be even more so."

"She is my daughter."

"I certainly have not forgotten that, my servant; that is the only reason the child still lives. Keep her under control. There must not be any more incidents such as this."

With that, Sidious broke the transmission leaving Vader in a homicidal rage. He understood clearly that if there were any more _"incidents_" that his master would either take Leia from him or she would be killed.

Not for the first time, Vader thought about what he would do if either scenario occurred. He knew he was not strong enough, on his own, to destroy Sidious; but he also knew that he would not be able to let him have her. Vader hoped that he could stall for more time; in a few years she would be ready to be by his side as they challenged his master. Until then, he would have to keep Leia under firm control.

* * *

Darth Vader spent the next several hours mediating and thinking about the future. Leia was awake, and he knew that he would have to speak to her. The fact that she had a sudden resurgence of former memories--memories that he had tried to block, meant that she was growing much stronger than he expected. 

Because of the memory resurgence, Vader expected that Leia would be hysterical. He would not allow disrespect, however, she would have to be made to know that he was in control.

When he walked in the main door of her quarters, he found Leia sitting on the small couch. She had changed from her formal gown and was now wearing her regular clothes. He could see that she had been crying; and when Leia saw him, she tensed partly because of fear, but mostly because of anger. "I don't want to talk to you."

"What you want has no bearing on this conversation."

"Leave me alone!" Leia shouted.

Vader tried to remain calm, but his previous rage was returning with a vengeance. "You will listen, my daughter."

"Don't call me that." Leia stood up and pointed at her father in outrage. "You tried to make me forget them, but I remember now. You took me from my real parents; you snatched me away from my mother and father and made me your prisoner."

"I am your father!"

"I am not your daughter!" Leia screamed as fresh tears began to pour down her cheeks. "You killed my father, you had him executed."

Vader wished, at that moment, that it was possible to kill a man more than once. If it were, he would have tortured and killed Bail Organa repeatedly. Even so, Vader knew that he let the traitorous senator die too quickly. "He was the one who took you from me; and I came for you. You have been restored to your proper place at my side."

"I hate you! You took me from my parents; the ones who loved me. I will hate you forever!"

He felt betrayed, first Padmé had done it and now her daughter. Using a discipline technique that he had employed before when dealing with Leia, Vader put her in Force bindings which did not allow her to move or speak. "I have been far too lenient; that ends now. I am not only your father, I am also your master and you will obey me."

Something then happened that he did not expect. With more power than her father thought she had access to, Leia broke from the bindings. She looked at him and spoke with a firmness that seemed far beyond her years. "You will never do that to me again."

Vader was surprised, and a little unnerved. "You see, I have shown you what kind of power you possess. You inherited it from me; the ones who kidnapped you would have kept you in bondage. I have shown you true freedom."

Leia broke away from her cold stare and became a child again. "You have taught me power; but my real parents loved me. You cannot love anything; you are a monster!" She turned her face away from him, and the tears flowed even more. "I hate the things you taught me. I hate what you are making me. You want me to be like you; I don't want to be a monster!"

"I am giving you the strength to rule the galaxy. We will rule together, as father and daughter."

She slumped down on the couch; her posture indicated that she was completely defeated. "Please, let me go home."

Vader did not know what angered him the most, the fact that she was betraying him or the fact that she was pleading like a low servant. "I am giving you everything you could ever want, and you turn it away."

Leia shook her head, "It is what you want; this has nothing to do with me."

"If you were anyone else, you would be dead right now. Do not test me, my daughter."

With her last ounce of strength, Leia stood and asked the question that had been plaguing her for a long time. "Did you kill my mother…my real mother? Did she make you mad and kill her? The Emperor said that you got angry with her. Is that why she's dead? I bet she hated you like I hate you."

Vader was nearly blinded with rage--rage at Leia for daring to ask such a thing and rage at his master for telling her about Padmé. What made it worse was that he knew that Leia's accusations were correct, he did kill her. The things that he felt on that fateful night on Mustafar came back in full force--the rage, the betrayal, and the desire to crush all who dared to oppose him.

As Leia stared back at him with the eyes of his wife, the seductive voice of the dark side began to whisper: "_You daughter will betray you, just like your wife. All who dare oppose you must be destroyed."_ It's deadly song promised ultimate power, and the punishment of all traitors.

He reached out his hand to release his rage. However, before he clenched it to choke her like he had choked his wife, a disembodied voice that he had not heard in many years cried out to him. The last time he had heard it was just as he began to slaughter the Tusken village after his mother was killed. _"Anakin, no!"_

But unlike the last time he heard the voice, he now listened and withdrew.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16:**_

"My Queen, you shouldn't be up and about. The doctors said that you need at least another week of convalescence."

It had been three weeks since the attack at the Aldera Spring Fair. She had only spent four days in the medical center before being allowed to return to the palace. "Zara, I can't stay in that bed another moment."

Her head handmaiden nodded in sympathy, "I understand, but you should at least wait to return to work."

Breha sighed, "I need to know what has been happening while I've been injured. Malix mentioned new security measures, but refused to go into specifics."

During her recovery, Moff Malix spent a lot of time _"visiting"_ her, despite Zara and her other handmaidens' best efforts. The day after she returned to the palace, she was awoken by the governor entering her bedroom with Zara following closely behind telling him that he did not have permission.

It did not matter what they said, Malix was not to be denied and Breha decided to let him win the battle. He was rarely inappropriate during his visits, but his close proximity in such an intimate surrounding made her very uncomfortable. During his visits, she tried to glean more information from him about what his _"new security measures"_ entailed, but he had stubbornly insisted that she not worry herself about them.

"Please, Your Highness, the doctors have not given you the go-ahead to resume working. Please accept their wisdom and…"

"It's that bad, isn't it?" The queen interrupted. "Whatever has happened, you and the other handmaidens are desperate for me to not find out."

Zara shook her head, "We just want to protect you."

"Tell me, what has Malix done?"

As Zara was forming the answer to the queen's question, another handmaiden entered the royal living quarters, "My Queen, I hate to disturb you but Moff Malix is here."

Before Breha had a chance to respond, the governor made his entrance in his usual high handed fashion. He came up to her and grinned, "It is so wonderful to see you."

"It hasn't been that long; you saw me yesterday," the queen reminded.

Malix laughed, "Yes, but I miss you when I'm away from you."

Sometimes, the governor was almost bearable to be around. In those rare instances, she could almost forget the things that he had done and the Emperor that he served fanatically.

There were times that she could see something in Malix other than a tyrannical dictator. During her convalescence, the queen saw glimpses of the man underneath the position. She wondered if circumstances had been different, if he would have turned out to be a good man and not what he was now.

However there were also times, like this moment, when she could clearly see the obsession and madness in his steely grey eyes--when his ever-present desire for her was very plain.

Breha wondered which one she preferred. The human Malix was more tolerable to be around…almost too tolerable…so tolerable that she could almost forget what he truly was.

The queen was terrified that there would come a day when she would want to forget--when she would sacrifice her few remaining principles in the hope of some kind of comfort, even in the arms of the man she hated most.

The governor turned toward the handmaidens and his smile disappeared, "Get out."

Both handmaidens turned toward their mistress for confirmation, which increased Malix's annoyance greatly. "Don't look at her, you do what I say."

Hoping to avoid a confrontation, Breha nodded to let them know that it was all right to leave. She could see that they both were reluctant to leave her alone with Malix, but they were not going to disobey their queen's order.

After the other women left, Malix turned back to Breha and his smile returned. "Good, that's much better. I know you are fond of them, but they show me no respect whatsoever. If they were not so important to you, I would have had them dismissed months ago."

Breha knew that they would be lucky to only be dismissed. "They are important to me, all of my staff is."

"I know, but you must teach them proper respect. I would not want any more of your staff to have to be dealt with.

The queen's blood froze with his reminder of her murdered guard. Guilt regarding the danger her servants were in was not new to the queen. When her guard was killed for defending her from Malix's violence, she partially blamed herself. He would still be alive if he had not been in her service.

Now, as she thought of her handmaidens, she did not think she could live with herself if anything happened to her. They were more than mere servants, especially Zara; she had practically grown up with her and they had always been best friends. Breha knew that she would have to do something; she could not keep them in such danger.

Not wanting the conversation to degenerate, the queen changed the subject. "I'm returning to work today."

Malix shook his head, "I don't think that's wise, you are still weak."

Coming from a friend, she would have been touched by the sentiment. However, coming from this Imperial Moff, what she felt was much different. "I am fine; I'm looking forward to returning to my duties."

It was a lie; the last thing she wanted was to return to her job as Alderaan's puppet monarch. Not knowing what was going on outside the palace walls had its advantages; she could pretend that her people were not suffering.

However, she could not stay ignorant forever; she could no longer allow herself that luxury. Breha wanted to find out what Malix's new security plan that he implemented after the attack entailed. She knew enough about the governor to know that she probably would not like it.

"I'll be fine."

"I don't want anything to happen to you. Maybe you should consider working only a few hours for the next week or so."

"I told you, I'll be fine."

Malix raised his hands in a mocking gesture of surrender, "Yes Your Highness." He then became serious, "I think you'll find Alderaan a much better place than you left it."

Breha doubted that very much. "Really?"

"Yes, the new security measures I implemented have made it a much safer place. You need not fear any more assassination attempts."

"You never went into specifics regarding the new measures. What do they entail?"

Malix frowned, "I don't want to burden you with such things. Just have faith in my abilities."

The queen took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily to prepare herself for what was about to come. She knew her conversation with the governor was about to quickly degenerate. "Alderaan is my world, and I am their queen. It is my right to know what you've done."

"Yes, you are their queen; but I am the Imperial governor." Malix then sighed and gave her a look of pity. "No matter how much I try to explain you to, it seems that you will never understand."

"Understand what?"

"Understand that what authority you may have is at my discretion. It is only because I know it means so much to you to have a voice in the government."

"I have no voice of my own," Breha stormed. "I am only allowed to echo what you say."

"You are important to your people, and that is why I had you speak to them directly on my behalf." Malix shook his head, "But that has ended."

"What has ended?"

The governor came closer and took Breha's hand, "Your so-called pacifist people tried to kill you. The son of your former top aid wanted to gun you down."

Breha immediately caught the use of the word _"former"_. In the seconds before she was shot, the queen recognized the shooter. He was the son of Antin Sarniste, her most trusted advisor since she had been crowned queen.

She tried to remove her hand from his, but Malix's iron grasp made it difficult. "Antin Sarniste has been dismissed, hasn't he?"

Malix nodded, "Yes, he cannot be trusted."

"His son's crime is not his crime."

"Someone allowed the assassin to get through security, and I have a suspicion that it was him."

"A suspicion? I've known him since I was a child; he would never do such a thing."

Malix sighed and shook his head. He had the expression of a father talking down to his child. "Breha, you are very naïve."

The queen once hated when the governor would call her by her first name. It was something that he was beginning to do more and more. At the beginning, it infuriated her; but over time she had become numb to it.

"I'm telling you, he would never do such a thing."

"That will have to be determined after his interrogation is complete."

Breha suddenly felt as if someone kicked her in the chest. "What? He's being interrogated!" From seeing the condition of her husband's body after Vader's _"interrogation"_, the queen knew what kind of techniques were employed by the Empire to extract information.

Malix nodded, "Of course he is. Did you actually believe that I would let him go?" He answered as if that was the most natural conclusion one could make.

"How long has he been in custody?"

"Since the day after the attack; as soon as it was determined what his connection was to the assassin."

"He's been interrogated since then?"

"Yes, off and on."

With all of her strength, Breha wrenched her hand from Malix's grasp. The horror of knowing what her friend was going through was too much to bear. "If he hasn't given you anything yet, he knows nothing."

"He has given us very valuable information. We've discovered much from your _'trusted advisor.'_"

"What have you found?"

"He still insists that he had nothing to do with the attack; but he has been working behind the scenes against my authority."

Breha could not believe what she was hearing. She knew, along with most of Alderaan, Antin hated Malix with a passion, but she could not imagine him acting against him. "I can't believe this!"

"It is true; we've arrested many of his cohorts. I don't believe you had anything to do with their organization; you would never betray me. You know better than to do such a foolish thing."

Overcome by emotion, Breha could not stand any longer. After sinking herself into a nearby chair, the queen bent down and placed her head in her hands. She wanted to demand Sarniste's release, and for the security crackdown to end; but she knew it would be futile. _Oh Bail, if you are somehow listening. Please help me!_

Malix sat down next to her, "I know this is a shock, and I didn't want to trouble you with this matter. You understand though, why I had to do this?"

Breha did not answer, and she refused to meet his piercing gaze. She felt tears beginning to form and no matter how much she fought, there was no way that she could stop them from falling.

"I hate seeing you like this; I want to make you smile and laugh. I want to take your pain away and make you forget what has passed."

The queen looked up to see the governor staring at her. The worst part about it was that she could see the sincerity and passion in his eyes. There was not one hint of deception there. It was apparent that he saw her as more than a key to a brighter political future, as many other Imperial governors would have.

"My Love, I could make you so happy, if only you would let me. You wouldn't have to worry about anything ever again. We could be a family."

"I had a family," Breha spit out as she fought back sobs. "My husband was killed and my daughter was taken from me."

"I know you loved him, but maybe soon you can find it in your heart to love again."

The queen noted that this was the first time that Malix referred to Bail without calling him a traitor. She suspected that he finally realized how much it angered her when he did so.

"About Leia," Malix continued, "I don't know what to say. I can imagine how much her absence pains you."

_"Pains"_ was an understatement; Leia being taken on that fateful night by Vader was a black hole in her heart that continually ate away at any remaining light. The pain she felt was much worse than if her adopted daughter had died; at least then she would not be in her Sith Lord father's care--being molded in his murderous image.

"I wish I could make things better for you; but maybe as time passes the pain will lessen. You may someday look back on your years with her with fondness." He then smiled, "You may someday tell your future children about her."

"Children?"

Malix laughed, "Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself."

"We will speak of this at another time. But for now I must make you aware of my decision."

"What decision?"

"I have decided to drastically cut back your role in public affairs; I must keep you from harm. There are elements within Alderaan who want to destroy you, and I will not let that happen. The royal guards have been dismissed from service; Imperial troops are now the palace's sole guards."

Breha was not surprised; he had been looking for a reason to remove the Alderaanian guards ever since he first arrived. He had wanted to get rid of all guards who were loyal to her and not him. It angered her, but knew it did no good to protest.

Malix continued, "I will allow only a few public outings. I can't risk anything happening to you."

"You're locking me up in the palace?"

Malix sighed, "Please, my dear, don't view it that way. It is only for your protection. I can't lose you."

"What am I to do?"

"I'm not saying that you should do nothing; you still know your people much better than I. Your assistance on how to reach them more effectively would be very much welcome. I just want you out of the day-to-day matters of government." Malix gave his most patronizing smile, "You should leave that to me; it's not something you should worry about."

Breha closed her eyes. She realized it was at that moment that she stopped being queen of Alderaan. Of course, she carried the title, but in effect, the monarch was no more…and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Malix gave her hand a quick squeeze before standing up, "I have to go now; there are several briefings scheduled for later and I must get ready for them."

The governor began walking out of the room, and then hesitated. Turning around, he gave her the most sincere smile that he could produce, "I love you."

Without waiting for a response, Malix left. As Breha waited in the royal living quarters that once housed her beloved husband and daughter, her emotional walls crumbled. Sobs shook her as she realized how far she had fallen.

She tried to stand, but as she did, her legs weakened and she nearly collapsed on the floor. Tears streamed down her face as she thought about Malix's words to her. She hated Vader for killing Bail and taking Leia, she hated Malix, and she hated the Emperor for appointing him.

However, most of all, she hated herself for her weakness. For a moment, Breha's loneliness and despair made her consider allowing Malix to try to make her happy, to make her forget.

Breha Organa wanted to die.

* * *

Leia was trying to keep her mind on her lessons, but was finding it very difficult. Glancing up at the wall chrono, she was dismayed to see that she had four more hours of instruction before she was free. 

"Miss Vader?"

She quickly turned toward the direction of the voice, "Yes?"

"Is there something wrong?"

Leia shook her head, "No Professor Nilor, everything's fine."

He sighed, "There is something, is there not? You've been distant for the last few weeks."

The girl glared at her teacher; she did not want to have this conversation again with him. Weeks ago, it ended with her nearly killing him and several days of distance between them. Things were finally beginning to get back to normal; the last thing she wanted to do was rehash what caused the original trouble. "Please Professor, I don't want to talk about it. Respect my wishes."

Nilor nodded reluctantly, "I will, I just thought you might need someone to talk to."

The lessons continued for the next several minutes, but Leia barely paid any attention. Her mind was swirling with questions--questions that no one in her life wanted to answer. She then got an idea, "Professor, do you know who my mother was?"

He was speechless for a moment; finally he sat down across from where Leia was sitting. "Yes, Emperor Palpatine has made me aware."

"Who was she?"

Nilor shook his head, "I shouldn't be telling you this. It is your father's responsibility to…"

"But he won't tell me!" Leia interrupted. "He never will! I demand you tell me."

Not wanting a repeat of her last outburst, Bade Nilor relented. "Her name was Padmé Amidala, she was a senator of the old Republic from Naboo."

"Padmé? That's a pretty name." Leia smiled trying to imagine what this mysterious woman looked like. She wondered if she had dark hair like her, or dark eyes. She wished that she could know what she looked like. Leia then remembered that now she knew her name, it should not be too difficult to find information in the public HoloNet databases.

"I never knew her personally, but she was a very well-known public figure."

"How did she die?"

Nilor seemed to become even more uncomfortable, "She died soon after His Excellency was crowned Emperor."

Even though she was desperate to know more, Leia knew that she got all of the information that she was going to get from him. "Thank you."

Nilor seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "This should have come from your father."

"He would never tell me; and I don't want to ask him again." The memory of her last confrontation with Vader three weeks prior was still fresh in her mind.

"I know you fear him."

"Everyone is scared of him."

"Still, a child should never be terrified of their own parent."

Leia shook her head and unconsciously put her hand to her throat. She remembered the feeling as it began to constrict before he withdrew. After that, Vader left immediately and they never again spoke of what happened. She wondered if he would stop the next time he got angry with her.

"Has something happened?"

"Please don't do this." Leia pleaded in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I have the ear of the Emperor; he will help you."

For reasons she could not completely understand, Leia doubted that very much. She had met the Emperor and feared him even more than her father. "I don't want to be taken to him."

"He has your best interests at heart."

Leia wondered if her tutor truly believed that he was saying. His mind made it difficult for her to use the Force to judge his intent. "I told you, I don't want to be taken to him!"

Nilor stood, "All right, but I have my duty to the Emperor. If I learn of anyone that has harmed you, no matter who that might be, I am to report it to him immediately."

"I know."

"Please, you can talk to me about anything. If anything happens at all, please let me help you."

* * *

Vader had found meditation very difficult lately. When he was younger, he found it to be tedious and boring, much like Leia did. After his transformation, he began viewing meditation as a means to get stronger not as a vehicle to achieve peace. That weakened a Sith and was dangerous; peace could not be afforded--especially for Darth Vader. 

However, in the last three weeks, even his dark side meditations had been difficult. He knew what was infecting him; the sudden appearance of Qui-Gon Jinn.

Saying that hearing the Jedi master's voice again was a shock to him was an understatement. In all his years, Vader had never been surprised by a manifestation of the Force until now. He remembered hearing that voice before, all those years ago before he slaughtered the Tusken village--his first step on the road to the dark side.

Now, unlike then, he heeded the warnings and stopped what he was fully intending to do. If he had not listened three weeks ago, Vader would have seriously hurt his daughter.

He was angry with her for provoking him like that, but she seemed to have learned her lesson. In the weeks since, Leia had made special efforts to please him; her training had gone very smoothly. He hoped that she had learned that he was her master, but he also knew that she had too much of his personality in her. She had a dangerous tendency to act without thinking.

In the time since Vader had first heard the voice, he had felt a presence near him and he had heard the voice a few times in meditation, but the Sith had been able to make it go away. It did not matter to him how Qui-Gon Jinn had somehow returned from the Force, there was nothing Vader had to say to him.

He tried to deepen his meditation but as he increased his connection to the Force, the familiar presence returned. Angrily, Vader hurled a datapad across the room. "Show yourself! Come and face me!"

Before him, bathed in a blue glow, appeared the ghostly form of the man who was to be his master. _"Hello Anakin, it's good to see you again."_

Fury swept through him by seeing the Jedi Master's smiling face. "What are you doing here?"

_"You just asked me to come." _

"Why are you here? You have been dead for years." Vader had a sudden resurgence of memory--of his nine year old self watching the body of the man that was his hero burn.

Qui-Gon shook his head_, "Don't you remember your teachings? There is no death, there is only the Force."_

"You dare speak to me about the Jedi code! I know what the Jedi were!"

_"I'm not here to argue with you about that."_

"Then why won't you leave me alone? I have felt your presence constantly since…"

_"Since you nearly strangled your eight year old daughter to death?"_ Qui-Gon interrupted.

"I would never have killed her. She needed to learn not to provoke me."

Qui-Gon's eyes were full of sadness, _"Like you would never have killed your wife?"_

Vader's anger exploded, and the walls seemed to shake from the power that was being released. "She was alive, I felt it! She would be with me right now if Kenobi did not interfere."

_"I'm so sorry, Anakin."_

"That name means nothing to me!"

The ghost of the Jedi master shook his head, _"You don't claim Anakin Skywalker's name, but you do claim his dead wife...and his daughter."_

"I am Darth Vader; that is the truth of my existence."

_"You have been trying to avoid the truth for many years now."_

"What did you think you were going to accomplish with this?" Vader demanded. "Did you come that I might embrace the light?" Even through his electronic vocabulator, his mocking tone was apparent.

_"It may be too late for that,"_ Qui-Gon admitted sadly. _"I have come to plead for Leia."_

"You have interfered once," he warned dangerously. "You will not do so again."

_"Despite how greatly misguided I believe you are, you did choose this life. Your daughter did not."_

"She is the heir to my power."

_"She is the heir to your servitude."_ Qui-Gon corrected.

"She will rule at my side after we destroy Darth Sidious. She and I will make the galaxy the way it should have been." Vader exclaimed. "We will be the only ones with the power to make it so."

Qui-Gon sighed as a look of despair cross his features_. "Anakin, let us say that you do defeat the Emperor and take his mantle as Sith Master, even though I believe you are greatly underestimating him."_

Before Vader had a chance to retort, Qui-Gon continued, _"What do you think will be left of Leia when her training is complete? She will be stripped of everything she is; her light will be cruelly snuffed out in the worst way. What will be left will be a being of great power, yes, but she will be dead in every way that matters."_

"I do not want hear your lectures. You know nothing of my daughter."

_"I know that she is drowning and calling out for someone to save her, but her own father is continuing to push her under."_ Qui-Gon paused briefly before continuing. _"He is ignoring her pleadings in the hopes of gaining a few more morsels of power."_

"She will be strong."

The Jedi master nodded, _"Yes, she will be strong, but I fear greatly the creature that you and the Emperor will unleash. I fear for her, and for the galaxy."_

Qui-Gon's words had the effect of silencing, just for a moment, the dark lord of the Sith. The dead jedi then spoke again, "_I will take my leave; and I wish I could believe that you might think about what I said, but I know you will not. I will leave, and you will tell yourself that I do not understand, and that I only wish to weaken you."_

Vader found his voice, "You do want to weaken me, and Leia."

_"Let me leave you with this promise. One way or the other, you will regret introducing Leia to Sith teachings--either as father or as a Sith master."_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter 17:**_

It had been one galactic standard year since Leia Organa was taken from her adopted parents to be in her father's custody...one year since Obi-Wan Kenobi's plans had fallen apart.

He expected to spend years on Tatooine watching and protecting Luke from afar to then later be trained as a Jedi when the child reached maturity. He never expected having to take the boy and his infant cousin to an even more remote world and raise them himself.

Months after the unconventional family settled on Sokoris, Luke had begun Jedi training. In six months, the boy was showing remarkable ability. His progress was amazing.

Obi-Wan saw that, in many ways, Luke had more potential to be a better Jedi than Anakin ever was. Abilities within the Force came easily to his former Padawan, but other aspects of Jedi life like study, self-sacrifice, and humility were things that Anakin could never grasp...until the dark completely took him.

Luke's disposition was so much unlike Anakin's that if the boy did not look so much like him, he would not have believed he was his son. In the months that he had been in training, Obi-Wan had seen an amazing transformation.

If things had turned out differently, the Jedi master was certain that the boy would have been one of the most promising initiates the Order had ever seen. There would have been many masters vying to take Luke as their Padawan learner when he came of age.

But those masters were now dead, and the Order lied in ruins. He and Master Yoda were the only Jedi left that he knew of. They and one eight-year-old boy were the only ones left to stand against the ever-present darkness that had consumed the galaxy.

Every day that passed, that darkness was getting even stronger. The grip on the galaxy was tightening, and it seemed that nothing could stop its never-ending march. In his meditations, Obi-Wan had trouble sensing any light left underneath it all.

With Vader's discovery of his daughter, the dark side seemed even more powerful than before. Her corruption and transformation from child to, eventually, Sith had fed the dark's hunger and made it an even harder beast to destroy.

Obi-Wan could never get Leia out of his mind. Even though he committed to training Luke and caring for Siri, a part of him could never completely dismiss the little girl that was ripped from the only home she had ever known to be in the custody of her murderous father.

Every time he was in town to buy supplies, there seemed to always be a HoloNet news report playing of one of her public appearances. In the months since her first appearance on HoloNet, Leia had grown a few inches and appeared even more poised and confident.

He was amazed how much she looked like Senator Amidala. Obi-Wan hoped that some of Padmé's other traits, like compassion, had been passed on to the child as well as her physical appearance.

"Ben!"

Obi-Wan looked up to find Luke running while carrying baby Siri. The girl was nearly one year old and knew how to crawl and was also learning to walk; still, she insisted on being carried everywhere.

The baby was very affectionate, and loved to be held and rocked. When he was a Padawan and had to help in the crèche, Obi-Wan had been told to not hold the babies very often. The theory was that it would spoil them if they were given too much affection.

At first, he applied those same teachings when dealing with Siri. In return, all he got were many sleepless nights and even more trying days with her. Finally, Luke began to hold the baby and rock her to sleep; the transformation in Siri was almost immediate. She finally began sleeping through the night. However, it seemed that the girl was never content unless she was being held or rocked by someone.

"What is it Luke? Did you finish your chores in the house?"

"No, I'm not finished yet, but I heard Siri say her first word."

Obi-Wan laughed, "Really? What did she say?" In addition to his Jedi training and his household chores, Luke had taken it upon himself to teach his cousin to talk.

"I think she said, _'Ben.'_"

Taking the girl from Luke's arms, he looked into her blue eyes and smiled. Before he said anything, Siri touched his face and returned his smile. In a much clearer voice than he expected, she spoke, "Ben."

Obi-Wan could not help but smile. His smile was answered with her flinging her tiny arms around him and hugging him tight. As a Jedi, he had not experienced much in the way of affection. Despite everything he had been taught against forming attachments, he could not help but love these two children as if they were his own.

As he held the baby, his mind flashed to another little girl on the other end of the galaxy. Unlike the children with him, Leia was alone and drowning in darkness. He tried several times to banish her from of his mind. He believed that there was nothing he could do for her and it was important for him to focus on training the twin that was not in Sith custody.

While his mind knew that was the right thing to do, his heart still could not let go of her.

* * *

Leia looked up at the wall chrono to find that it was already 0330. She did not have much time left. In her annoyance, her first impulse was to use Force telekinesis to rip the offending object off of the wall, but held back knowing how much she needed to keep track of the time. 

For the last six months, Leia had been on a quest to find information about her mother. After Bade Nilor told her the name, one thought alone drove her. She was going to find out how who Padmé Amidala was and how she died.

Public Imperial databases were less than helpful. It mentioned that Padmé Amidala was a senator from Naboo during the Clone War, but very little else remained. Not even a Holo of the woman existed in the public Imperial network. Only the date of her birth, her home planet, and the date of her death, which was the same day as Leia's birth, was recorded in the Senate records. Leia could not understand why all other records of her had seemed to be expunged from history.

Her desperation to find out more about her mother led Leia to attempt a much more dangerous method of information retrieval. She would have to slice the databases.

She knew that if she were caught, her father would surely punish her to the extreme, but that did not deter her from her goal. In the months following her learning her mother's name, Leia had spent every spare moment teaching herself how to slice remote systems.

She found that she had an aptitude for machines, and with the assistance of the Force, Leia was soon accessing closed databases all over the Empire. She had yet to find anything regarding her mother, some systems were impossible to crack; but she refused to stop until she reached her goal.

In frustration, Leia banged her hand hard on the console and, with a slight gesture, used the Force to break a vase on the other side of the room. Pulling all of her anger inward, she focused on her task.

Time was running short. She had learned that the _Devastator's_ internal security system went into a maintenance cycle at 0300 and lasted until 0400 on the fourth day of every week. During that time, it would be harder for the crew to trace transmissions coming in or out of the ship. It was the only time that she could access remote computers without detection.

In her obsession to find this information, Leia barely acknowledged that she had come up on an anniversary. It had been one year exactly since her father had taken her to his ship. In that time, much had changed. She barely recognized the girl she was before. She remembered her adopted parents, and seethed at the thought of what happened to her adopted father. However, Leia could not allow those thoughts to get in the way of her mission.

Sometime, Leia wondered what her life would have been like if her father had not found her. She would have had no knowledge of the Force, but she would not have had to carry the burden of that knowledge. She would have been ignorant of her potential, but sometimes, Leia believed she would have been better off. The Force was a blessing and a curse at the same time.

The night before, she had the idea to not focus on Imperial systems and instead concentrate on the databases from her mother's home planet of Naboo. She was angry at herself for not thinking of that before. She had very little time remaining before the maintenance cycle would be over and she hoped that she could retrieve something before then. The public database of Naboo was not closed, but she did not want to explain to her father why she needed to access them.

The console indicated that a connection had been made and Leia almost cried with relief. Entering the name _"Padmé Amidala"_, Leia sat back and watched as an entire biography was displayed before her. She could hardly believe her eyes; it was everything that she could ever hope for.

Knowing that she had little time left before she could get caught, Leia downloaded the entire file to a datapad. With just seconds to spare, she cut the transmission to Naboo and breathed a sigh of relief.

With a smile and a lightness of heart that she had not felt in months, Leia clutched the datapad to her heart as if it were her most prized possession.

Leia returned to her bedroom and sat at her desk. She then opened the file and the sight that greeted her was like water to a parched desert. Staring back at her was the smiling face of the most beautiful woman that Leia had ever seen. _Mother!_

* * *

Winter had descended on Aldera with an especially cruel vengeance. It had been years since temperatures had dipped this low, and the entire capital city had been covered in snow and ice for months. 

Zara was reminded of her childhood near the northern pole of Alderaan. In that region, life was hard. Those few who settled there constantly battled the seemingly constant ice and snow. Winters were dark and long and the sun would not even be seen so far north during that time of year.

When Zara finally left her home as a girl of twelve to go to school, she never thought she would ever want to experience winter again on her parents' homestead, but now she would do almost anything to be in their home again.

This night's temperature had dipped well below freezing, and the handmaiden rushed to get to her scheduled rendezvous. Finally, she arrived at her destination to find her contact looking at his wrist chrono.

"You're late."

"It couldn't be helped, it is nearly impossible to get out of the palace. Malix has it locked up tight."

"Are you certain you left without being detected?"

Zara sighed, "If I was detected, a squadron of stormtroopers would have found me by now."

The man nodded, "All right, just be careful. You are one of our most valued operatives."

The handmaiden winced inwardly at the word. It was one more reminder of the double life she was leading. While she agreed with the organization's goals, she felt guilty that her mistress had no knowledge of her activities. She knew she could never tell her; any additional burden would surely crush her. "I always am, Doran."

Doran Melkor approached Zara two months after Senator Organa's death. He explained to her about the organization that the senator had been a part of along with other members of the Imperial Senate. It took some convincing, but she finally believed his claims that they were fighting the Empire from within.

He asked her to be the organization's eyes and ears inside Aldera palace. Many in the group believed that it was their duty to their fallen comrade to do what they could to help his wife. There was little they could do but gain information concerning Malix's activities, but they were constantly looking for some way to help her.

Zara was honored to do what she could. She loved her mistress like a sister and wanted nothing more than to have her rescued from Malix's clutches.

Doran nodded, "Do you have anything to report?"

"Very little, unfortunately, Malix is continuing to round up any citizen of Alderaan that he feels might have some connection to the militants."

A group had developed, led originally by Antin Sarniste, whose goals were to remove Alderaan from Imperial rule. They were badly organized and their activities did nothing but increase the Empire's hold on the planet.

In the months following the assassination attempt, it was learned that the target was Malix himself. The group believed that Sarniste's son was a good enough shot to kill the governor but leave the queen unharmed, they were dead wrong.

It then became Malix's personal quest to kill anyone associated with the militants. If any of the leaders were captured, it was rumored that he would personally torture them. Zara was not sure if that was entirely correct, but she would not put it past him. The man had a vicious streak that she had seen up close.

Doran shook his head, "They've done much more harm than good. It's hard to fathom an Alderaanian being that violent."

"When people are desperate, they soon forget their ideals." Zara understood that first hand. She had also been taught from birth the principles of non-violence that her homeworld embraced. Despite her upbringing, she had envisioned killing Malix in a multitude of ways--each one more violent than the last.

"Are there still militants to be found? We believed them to be a very small group."

"They were a small group, and I believe they have all been captured. Malix now wants to punish anyone loosely connected to them."

"I've heard whispers in the Senate that Malix has a history; there was some trouble back on his home planet and that is why he was on Coruscant when his planet was attacked by Separatists."

"What did you hear?"

"He apparently has a violent past. Something about one of his classmates while he was in university…a female classmate."

Zara was disturbed but not at all surprised. In the time that she had known him, she had seen many sides to the Imperial governor, very few were pleasant. "Is there anything that can be done to help the queen?"

Doran looked away and shook his head regretfully, "We're trying, but you have to understand that the beings I represent are in great danger themselves. They are working to free the galaxy from the Emperor's tyranny."

"I understand, but that is little comfort while watching my mistress waste away and my people suffer."

"I'm afraid there will be much more suffering, the Emperor has tightened his grip on thousands of worlds; Alderaan is not alone in that. What is happening here is being repeated throughout the galaxy."

A tear fell down Zara's cheek as she thought about the fate of the galaxy under Palpatine's rule. "How long must we wait for this to end?" She spoke the question more to herself than to her companion; she knew he had no answers.

"We must have faith."

"Faith in what?"

"Faith in freedom, faith in the beings that yearn for it, and faith that we are on the side of right."

Zara wondered if she could ever have such hope again. "I just wish there was something more I could do."

Doran took her hand gently, "I can promise you that we will soon call on you for more service. I just want to make certain that you are prepared for that."

"You want me to assassinate Malix?" The handmaiden could not keep the hope out of her voice.

"No, but we will ask you to do things that are just as dangerous. Are you prepared?"

"Yes, very much so."

* * *

On some days, it seemed that Bade Nilor felt his age more than others; today was one of those days. After a long day of teaching Leia Vader, he felt all of his sixty-seven years. 

After leaving the girl, Nilor slowly made his way back to his personal quarters. He was housed far away from his charge, something for which he believed Vader to be responsible. The second-in-command of the Empire did not like his daughter being in close proximity to her tutor.

His assigned quarters were very sparse, especially compared to the extravagance that his student lived in. No expense had been spared for her comfort; she was clothed with the most expensive apparel credits could buy; and in her quarters, she was surrounded by luxury that only the top-level of the galactic elite could even fathom.

In his tenure as head of the history department of Imperial Center's most exclusive university, Bade Nilor had seen his share of children of the Imperial elite. Admittance to the university was by invitation only. The student body consisted mainly of the offspring of royalty and political cronies loyal only to the Emperor.

Of all the students that Nilor had taught, none were more powerful and wealthy as Leia Vader. To say that she was a celebrity was an understatement. The eight year old girl was a galactic phenomenon. Her story spread quickly throughout the Empire and soon every little girl in the Empire wanted to be just like her.

The name _Leia_, long viewed as old fashioned and common by those in the Core, was now the number one most popular name for new female babies. Nilor's own grand-niece had even been given the name when she was born two months earlier.

There was no doubt that Leia Vader had made an impression and the professor knew why. The story of her being kidnapped by Bail Organa as a baby and essentially kept prisoner to exact revenge on Lord Vader had tugged on the heartstrings of some, but that was not the only thing that made her popular.

Nilor had watched her during some of her public events and saw how she conducted herself. Among other things, it was his job to train the girl in all things political, but he did not have to; the girl was a natural. It was completely effortless for her. She never tripped over her words and, even at such a young age, spoke with a voice that people listened to.

As Nilor pondered these things, he took out a flask from a cabinet. He had begun to drink more than usual in the months that he had been assigned Leia's tutor. When he first received the assignment, he believed it was a reward for years of faithful service to the Emperor. However, he learned quickly that there was nothing easy about teaching the daughter of Lord Vader.

He had his orders, but he never realized how dangerous carrying out those orders was going to be. He knew the danger of being on Darth Vader's ship, but he never thought he would fear an eight year old child.

If he had not experienced the girl's power first hand, he never would have believed that a child could possess it. He knew her abilities had something to do with what her father was teaching her every evening. Nilor shuddered to think of what she would be like when she got older.

He wanted nothing more than to go back to his position at the university and never see either of the Vaders again, but he knew it would not be that easy. The only way he could leave was if he was killed or the Emperor released him.

As the man began to prepare for sleep, his HoloNet transmitter indicated a transmission was coming in. When he saw who it was from, he groaned aloud. After quickly hiding his flask and attempting to make himself appear more presentable, he accepted the call.

"Your Highness," Nilor bowed his head in submission, "to what may I owe the honor?"

"I want an update on the girl."

"Of course," he hesitated slightly before continuing, "Miss Vader is incredibly bright and she is an excellent student in every subject."

"I do not care about her academics," Palpatine interrupted. "Has the girl displayed any more of her abilities?"

Nilor thought back to the day, months earlier, when Leia's powers became very much apparent to him. Before then, he had no idea what terrible abilities the child possessed. "I have not seen anything more, personally. However, I heard of an incident while she and Lord Vader were on Kuat."

"I am aware of that." Palpatine's annoyance was becoming more apparent with each passing moment.

Nilor knew he was treading on even more dangerous ground. "Of course, Your Excellency."

"How did she react toward you after she attacked you?"

"She seemed contrite, but she never apologized. I felt that Miss Vader wanted to though." Nilor was very surprised when Leia seemed sorry for her actions. He suspected that her refusal to apologize was because of Vader ordering her not to. For one with that much power, he was amazed that she still reacted like a normal child would in some circumstances. He wondered how long it would last.

The Emperor frowned, "She seemed contrite? Very interesting...it seems Vader is being soft on her."

"My Lord?"

Palpatine then smiled, seemingly to himself. "That is something that will have to be remedied."

Nilor was not certain how to respond. He learned, when dealing with the Emperor, that it was better to not say anything then say something Palpatine might consider foolish.

The Emperor then returned his attention to Nilor, "How is the child's relationship with her father?"

"Not good, I believe that he has harmed her."

"What makes you think that?"

Nilor shook his head, "She has not said it, but she has on several occasions revealed to me that she is terrified of him. I believe he might have lashed out against her."

Palpatine smiled knowingly, "Of course he has."

The professor wanted this conversation to end. As time went by, his assignment had become more and more uncomfortable. There was the constant physical danger from Lord Vader or his emotional child, but deep down he was beginning to feel sorry for Leia. She did not ask to be a part of the Emperor and Vader's power games.

"Has the girl spoken any more about her mother?"

"No, not since I told the girl her name." Nilor had been ordered to tell Leia the name of her mother if he was asked, but nothing more.

"It has been months, I imagine the girl believes that I do not know any more; or she has forgotten the entire thing." It was the truth; he had been told that Senator Amidala was the child's mother, but nothing more regarding the circumstances of her death. Palpatine did hint once that Vader was involved, but Nilor was not certain if that was the real truth or only what the Emperor wanted the girl to believe was the truth.

"Oh no, she has not forgotten." Palpatine was almost smug in his assertion.

"If I may ask, Your Excellency, what purpose does Miss Vader knowing her mother's name serve?"

The Emperor's eyes narrowed at the man, "You may not ask. You are not entitled to any knowledge beyond what you've been given."

The professor bowed his head again, "Yes, of course, My Lord...forgive me."

"I don't believe it will be necessary for you to continue to drive a wedge between father and daughter, Vader will do that himself. Make certain you are in the girl's good graces, and continue to try to get her to confide in you."

Nilor nodded, feeling even worse about the entire situation, "Yes, Your Excellency."

Palpatine again narrowed his eyes at the professor. "Are you having second thoughts?"

He stammered, "No, Your Excellency, I am not!"

"You are finding this assignment not to your liking?"

"Absolutely not, I am honored that you would choose me for such an important task." Nilor hoped that his lie was convincing.

"You wanted a better position, one of influence; I remember you asking this of me on many occasions."

Nilor's mouth dried up and his heart beat even faster. He had lobbied the Emperor for a better position within the Empire. He felt that head of the history department of a university was not suitable recompense for his years of loyalty that began even before Palpatine was appointed as Senator of Naboo.

The phrase, _"be careful what you wish for,"_ never seemed more appropriate. Nilor wished that he could have been content to spend his remaining years on Imperial Center with his tenure at the university. All he wanted was to go home to be with his family again and play with his grandchildren, but that was impossible. "I appreciate what you have given me, Your Excellency."

"Do I need to remind you what you could stand to lose?"

Nilor closed his eyes and shook his head, "No, no reminder is necessary." He had to fight to remain in control of himself as he thought of his beloved family. He did have much to lose.

Palpatine grinned, "Very good, I always knew you were a bright man."

The transmission suddenly was cut, leaving a man who felt even older than before. Finding his flask, he drunk another swig of the strong whiskey that burned its way down his throat. "What have I done?"

* * *

_"Father, you summoned me."_

_Vader turned to see his daughter confidently striding into his throne room. At nineteen, Leia was as beautiful as her mother ever was. She was strong, intelligent, and wickedly cunning. Her pure dark brown eyes were long gone though. Because of her devotion to the dark side of the Force, Leia's eyes had flecks of yellow in them, as most Sith. When she was in combat or enraged, there would be nothing left of the original color._

_Unlike her father when he came before Sidious, she did not kneel. He had abolished that tradition when he overthrew his master. Another Sith tradition that Vader did not adopt was the practice of giving an apprentice a new name to reflect their new status. Vader could not call Padmé's child by any name other than the one she gave her._

_"Intelligence reports that the rebels have stolen some very important military plans."_

_"You mean the Death Star?" Leia sneered, "Father, I am not unaware of Tarkin's little pet project."_

_Vader was not surprised that she had found out about the massive space station. He had not told her because he did not like her being involved in military matters._

_Unlike the arrangement he had with his own master, Vader controlled the military while his apprentice was in charge of political matters. He did hold the title of Emperor and all decisions were his to make, but the Sith allowed his daughter to do most of the speeches. He hated politics with a passion. He much preferred being in his ship than in the Imperial Palace._

_"They have traced the source of the intelligence breach to the Imperial Senate."_

_Leia nodded, "No doubt many of the senators have rebellion sympathies."_

_"You were the one who convinced me to not dissolve the Imperial Senate." This was not the first time they had gone through this argument. It had been two years since Vader and Leia teamed up to overthrow Darth Sidious. Ever since then, they had many disagreements over the future of the Empire._

_Vader wanted to immediately dissolve the Senate and give the regional governors direct control over their territories. He knew that the Senate was only there for show; they had no real power. The new Emperor did not want to give the people even the illusion that they had some say in the government. Only the wise and the powerful had the skills it took to rule such a chaotic galaxy._

_His daughter did not agree. While she understood that the people were not capable of self-rule, she disagreed with getting rid of the Imperial Senate. Leia argued that it was important that the people have their symbols of power._

_"Father, dissolving the Senate now will only push more into the arms of the rebellion."_

_"And the plans?" Vader reminded her._

_"That station was an idiotic expenditure from the beginning. Why did you continue to build it after Sidious was dead?"_

_"Remember your place, apprentice." Vader warned sharply._

_Leia bowed her head in a show of submission, "I apologize…master."_

_Vader turned toward the window overlooking the Imperial Center governmental complex. "It will be your responsibility to find the traitors within the Imperial Senate."_

_"That I will do gladly. While I believe the body must stand, there are some in the Senate that I wouldn't mind killing slowly."_

_From the corner of his eye, Vader could see his daughter's wistful smile. The two Vaders were alike in many ways, but Leia's personality differed from his in one very fundamental way. He had no problems with killing as many as necessary to achieve his goals, but his daughter murdered with glee. It was never personal to him; Leia relished the notion of taking the life of an enemy._

_She was very different than the child he had taken from the Organas. Sometimes, in the most secret core of his being, Vader wondered what happened to the little girl with Padmé's eyes and Anakin Skywalker's smile--both were only a memory._

_"Get it done." Vader ordered. "I leave for the front in an hour; deal with this while I'm gone."_

_Vader turned to leave the throne room and expected Leia to follow him like she always had. As he turned back around, the Force warned him of imminent danger. On instinct, the Sith activated his lightsaber just in time to deflect a strong bolt of Force lightning coming from the hands of his daughter._

_"You fool! You expect to challenge me?" The power of Vader's anger was enough to shake the entire room._

_Leia took out her own saber. Both of the red blades bathed the room in an eerie glow, as if the room was dripping with blood. "You are weak, Father." Leia added with a mocking tone._

_"You would do this to me?"_

_"Don't be so surprised. It is the way of the Sith." Leia then swung her saber and began the fight._

_She was a natural fighter, but Vader had the benefit of being the one who taught Leia the maneuvers that she was using against him. They had practiced together so many times that father and daughter were almost evenly matched. Each party knew how the other would attack and counter-attack._

_Leia's eyes were completely yellow now. In that moment, he could see nothing of Padmé in her; his daughter was pure Sith._

_Both fighters gave it their all, but in the end it was Leia who took the upper hand and cut her father's artificial saber arm off. Another wave of powerful Force lightning destroyed his suit. Darth Vader was beaten._

_As he lay dying, Leia bent down and hovered over her broken father. "You wanted this, don't you remember? You wanted a child in your own image. You wanted me to be a Sith, just like you. Congratulations, Father, you have succeeded." Leia laughed, "Don't you like what you have created?"_

Suddenly, Vader awoke to find himself not on the floor of the Imperial palace dying, but in his hypobaric chamber on his ship. It had only been a dream.

As the droids were attaching the prosthetics to his body and replacing his suit, Vader could not get the image of a grown-up Leia standing over him with a lightsaber ready to kill him.

As he pondered what it could all mean, his communicator indicated that he had a message. He wanted to throw the communicator across the room when he realized that the text-only message was from his master.

_"Vader, you and your daughter are recalled to Imperial Center."_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter 18:**_

"Fius, I wasn't expecting you."

Malix was grateful that he finally had a chance to catch up with those who were the most important to him. It had been nearly a year since he had last spoken to his older sister, and over four years since he had seen her face to face. It was not from lack of trying, but his sister was always busy. He was glad that they could communicate through HoloNet.

The attack on Luskan during the Clone War had, along with most of the planet's population, killed the governor's entire family except Lissa and her daughter. They were his only connection to his family.

"It's been too long," he exclaimed with a smile.

Lissa did not return the smile, "How have you been?"

"Very well, you've heard of my appointment."

"Yes, I have…congratulations."

Malix sensed his sister's hesitancy, but he was used to it. The last few times that they had spoken, she had seemed very distant. She, like many of the few remaining survivors of the CIS attack, had been plagued with depression in the years following. Malix believed that his sister was suffering from it as well; he wished that there was something he could do for her.

"It's everything I've ever hoped for."

"I'm sure it is." Lissa bit her lip and looked away for a moment. "I wasn't aware that you were on such good terms with the Emperor."

"I must admit, I was surprised when he selected me. His Excellency has placed great faith in me." Malix laughed, "You should have seen the faces of the ones I beat out for the position!"

"I can imagine. Other than your new job, how are you doing?"

"Very well, why do you ask?"

"You look tired."

Malix sighed; Lissa was always very overprotective of him. When he was a child, she was the one who mainly cared for him. "Things haven't gone very smoothly in the last while; it'll pass."

"I heard that someone tried to kill the queen a few months back."

"Yes, he has paid for his crime." His voice hardened immediately. The governor was livid that the assassin was killed instantly. He wished that he had to endure hours of torture for daring to harm his beloved.

"We're now rooting out his cohorts; they will be found soon. I've already scheduled their public execution."

Lissa frowned, "I thought Alderaanians were pacifists."

"That is what I once believed as well," Malix scoffed. "Because of that, I was much too lenient on them."

Things had changed greatly since the assassination attempt. He immediately strengthened martial law and imposed a curfew that, even many months later, he had not rescinded. Public meetings that were not sponsored by the Imperial government were outlawed, and random searches in homes were now commonplace.

Malix had also declared all non-Imperial sponsored news outlets on Alderaan illegal and they were shut down within days.

The people of Alderaan showed their displeasure by staging protest marches. After the governor ordered stormtroopers to shoot directly into the crowd and many were killed as they scattered, the protests lessened considerably.

He continued, "That ended the day someone dared to attack Breha."

"You two are on a first name basis?" Lissa appeared to her brother to be less shocked than concerned.

At the thought of his beloved, Malix could not help but smile. "We have grown much closer, especially since the attack."

He felt that there was a true bond forming between them, and he hoped that she was finally able to see him as more than the Imperial governor, but as a friend…and hopefully more.

"I had heard the rumors, but I thought they were just that."

"It isn't exactly as the tabloids claim," Malix laughed, "not yet anyway."

"I see." Lissa seemed doubtful.

"It's only a matter of time; I think she knows it too."

Through the grainy holo, Malix could see an odd expression cross his sister's face, but did not comment.

"You should come to Alderaan; I'm building a model Imperial society."

"I'm sure you are," she hesitated, "but I'm not certain if I'm going to have the time."

"Lissa, please come, I want to show you all I've accomplished, and I want you to meet Breha. She will most likely be your sister-in-law very soon; I want her to meet her new family."

She waited a few moments before speaking. Malix wondered why she was having such difficulty. "We'll see."

"You are my only family left; I need you to support me."

"Fius, I…"

Malix grinned, "You should bring Nora as well; she must be nearly grown by now. Didn't she turn sixteen a few months back? I'm sure she's a beauty."

This time, there was no attempt to hide her feelings; her expression became immediately cold. "She's at prepatory academy; I don't believe she'll be able to get away."

This was not the first time that his sister seemed hesitant in regards to him seeing Nora. For reasons he could not explain, she never felt comfortable with him being around her daughter.

It was clearly something she would have to get over.

"Say no more, I can pull a few strings and get her here. Don't worry about that. I'll arrange for both of your transports."

"I can't do this, there is…" Lissa began.

Giving her a look that was just as cold as her own, he interrupted, "Yes you can! I want you to come here." He then softened, "You'll be so proud of me when you see all I've done."

Lissa shook her head, "Fius…"

"Please, do this for me. Alderaan is so beautiful; it's much like Luskan once was. It'll be good for you to see it."

Knowing she was beaten, she nodded, "All right, but could you leave Nora at school? I'll come alone."

"Nonsense, I'm bringing her here. It'll be a family reunion. Breha will love you both."

Lissa smiled weakly, "I'm sure."

* * *

Breha looked at the chrono again in annoyance, it was only barely midday. Ever since Malix had declared that she no long take an active role in government affairs, the days were far too long for her liking. 

It was the same every day. She would rise from her bed--much later than she would have when she was working and her gown and hairstyle would be prepared by her handmaidens. What followed was a long stretch of several hours of doing nothing until she would return to bed right after dark.

Sleeping was not Breha's only refuge from the oppressive monotony of her days. Occasionally, the long hours would be interrupted by a visit from Moff Malix. As much as she hated being around the disgusting man; the queen had caught herself, on very few occasions, almost disappointed on the days he did not come. She loathed her weakness.

"My Queen, you sent for me."

Breha turned from the window she was staring out of to see her head handmaiden at the entrance of the room. Zara had been a gift from the gods since the very beginning. She did not know what she would have done without her. It made what she had to do so much more difficult.

"I just got a message from Malix; he tells me that the palace is to be receiving visitors."

Zara nodded, "The palace staff has been alerted, I only found out myself just hours ago."

She wished that, for once at least, she would not be the last to know of events going on in her own palace. "Do you know who they are?"

"From what I've heard, most of them are Imperial dignitaries."

"Malix wants to show off his prize. I imagine he expects me to be extra charming in front of the Emperor's men." The queen had to fight off a wave of nausea.

"You said most were dignitaries, who are the rest?" asked Breha.

"Two members of the governor's family. Malix told the housekeeping staff that they are staying indefinitely."

Breha was surprised, "Malix has family?" It was hard for her to imagine someone like him actually having parents. She knew because of the bombing of Luskan that most of his family was wiped out, but he had mentioned that he had a sister on Coruscant. It appeared that she was to soon meet this woman.

"It appears so." Zara seemed just as must surprised as she was.

"They are coming tommorow, along with the Imperials?"

Zara nodded, "That is what I've been made to believe."

The queen shrugged, "It's just as well."

Zara came to stand next to Breha and both women were silent for a few moments. Finally, the handmaiden spoke, "My Queen, why don't we take a walk in the gardens?"

"Zara, the gardens are dead; we're in the middle of winter," Breha reminded the other woman with a more than a little sarcasm.

"True, but the snow is beautiful and it might do you good to step outside for a little while."

"No, I'm fine," she insisted. She did not want to look at anything beautiful right now.

Zara took a deep breath, "If I may speak freely, but you are not fine. Being in this palace all the time is not good for your health."

Breha tensed, "Interesting that you should mention my health."

"What is it?"

"I've been very weak for many months. I had a suspicion that I had contracted the same illness that killed my father." The queen had to stifle a sob before continuing. "During my last medical exam I had them check. I got the results yesterday."

Thinking that the results were positive, Zara expressed her sympathies. "My Queen, I'm so sorry."

"I don't have the disease," Breha returned.

An expression of happiness crossed her handmaiden's face. "I'm so relieved."

It was the opposite reaction that Breha had when she learned of the results. "You may be relieved, but I'm not." The doctor had told her that her weakness was most likely caused by emotional distress. He could find nothing physically wrong with her. It was the worst news that she could have received.

Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, Zara asked, "What do you mean?"

"One of the reasons that I have been able to deal with Malix is because I believed that I would not have to for much longer. Now, it seems I have a long life ahead of me--with him."

It made Breha shudder to think about what a life with Malix entailed. One way or the other, he would get what he wanted from her. After that, she would be forever his prize. He would even expect her to have his children.

Zara shook her head, "You don't know that, something could happen to him."

"Like an assassination?"

"It's always a possibility," the handmaiden shrugged.

Breha's blood froze, "Zara, don't you dare even think about taking action against him."

"I wasn't considering that."

"Next time say that with a little more conviction and I might believe you," the queen sighed.

Zara broke from her mistress's gaze and turned toward the window, "I will not lie and say that I would mourn his death, but I would never take action of that sort."

"I can't lose you, Zara; you are the only one I have left."

"You have all the handmaidens, not just me."

She did not want to go through this now, but Breha knew that she had no choice. If any of her handmaidens deserved an explanation as to her plans, it was Zara. "I'm having them dismissed."

Zara turned back to the queen in surprise. "What? I don't understand."

"I can't leave them here in the firing line between me and Malix. It would be wrong," Breha explained calmly. It was something that she had considered for many months. If another of her staff was killed by Malix's hand, it would be because they were trying in vain to defend her. Along with everything else, she could not live with any more guilt.

"We gave an oath to serve you."

"I know, and I'm releasing you from that oath."

Zara wiped a tear from her eyes, "You are dismissing me as well?"

"I don't want to, you are my dearest friend." It was true, while Breha did not want her in harms way, the thought of not being able to see her friend was unbearable.

"Then don't dismiss me."

Breha sighed, "Zara, I will only allow you to stay if you promise me one thing."

"I would do anything for you."

"You may not do this."

"What would you have of me?"

"When Malix decides that he's waited long enough for me to give into him, he will attack me." Breha could barely speak the words, but she had to be prepared for such an eventuality.

"I won't let him."

It was the response that Breha expected, but it served only to increase her despair. "That's exactly what I want you to do, let him."

Zara looked at the queen as if she had just slapped her; she was not even making an effort to stop her tears. "Please, ask me anything else, just not that!"

Breha nodded, resigned to what she must do. "Then you will be dismissed along with others."

"You expect me to sit by and let him hurt you?"

With a calmness that she never would have thought she could have when discussing this subject, the queen explained, "Zara, if that is his intent, there would be little that you do to stop him. He would kill you, and he'd still do as he intended. I cannot bear dealing with that and knowing that you were killed for nothing."

"I don't want to leave you."

"Then do as I ask."

"He may kill you."

"Then I'll die." Of all the things that Malix could do to her, killing seemed to be the most merciful in Breha's eyes.

"I can't allow it."

While Breha expected her handmaiden to be this resistant, it was still painful. "Zara, ever since Malix arrived, I have had my choices stripped from me one at a time. Please don't take this last choice from me. Either agree to my terms, or you need to leave."

"I won't leave you."

"Then swear an oath."

Knowing that she had lost the battle, through her tears, Zara bowed her head in formal submission. "I swear, My Queen, I will respect your wishes."

* * *

Vader put off setting course for the capital as long as he could. He had maintenance run a full analysis of the ship's engines, made doubly certain there was no rebellion about to break out in nearby sectors, and consulted with Imperial agents in Hutt territory. 

The Outer-Rim was quiet; much too quiet for his liking. He could no longer stall; Vader had to return to his master...with his daughter beside him.

He know how much of a manipulator Lord Sidious was. He himself had been on the receiving end of years of his most artful scheming. It was only until he had taken his place at his master's side that he could truly see how devious he was.

In the space of just a few decades, Sidious had risen from obscurity into being the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. He then engineered a war which stripped away what was left of the corrupt government. He did all of this in full view of Jedi who did not realize that they had allowed themselves to play right into his hand until it was too late.

This same man now wanted to see his daughter again.

Vader knew that the summons was all about Leia and nothing to do with him. His master wanted to see her progress first hand. He would have rather faced the fires of Mustafar again than bring his daughter to the Imperial Palace.

But his master had given an order, and he could not disobey him until the right time. The time was not right yet; he had no choice but to prepare Leia for her Imperial audience.

Moving slower than normal, Vader made his way to his daughter's quarters earlier than usual. When she opened the door to greet him, his Leia's surprise was evident.

"Why are you so early?"

Ignoring her question, he entered the main room but did not head straight to the training room as per custom. Through the Force, Leia's confusion was evident.

"The ship has been ordered to return to Imperial Center."

Frowning, she sat down at the main sitting area. "Why?"

"The Emperor demands it."

Leia closed her eyes momentarily and looked over at her father, "You do not want to return."

Most of the time, Leia's quick progress in learning the ways of the Force was a great source of pride to him. She was a quick study who never tired of his teachings. Despite a few of her statements to him in the heat of her anger, his daughter craved more knowledge of the Force and was frustrated when it did not come as easily as she thought it should. It was one of many things father and daughter had in common.

However, there were also times when her power was a source of concern. Even through layers of mental shielding he had up at the time, Leia could still get through it.

"The _Devastator's_ battle group could be used elsewhere."

Leia nodded, "Of course." Her tone made it clear that she knew he was lying.

An ever greater tension than normal settled between them. Leia made an effort to dispel it by changing the subject. "Do I have any appearances scheduled?"

Underneath his mask, Vader clenched his jaw, "I am certain that you do." He hated parading her around as if she were one of the Emperor's pets.

"Will I have to stay in the Imperial Palace?"

"You do not wish to stay there?" She had stayed there before and expressed her unease over being in the massive structure. Vader had told himself that it was because she was still getting used to her new life. To feel her unease now gave him pause.

Leia turned away from him and shook her head, "I just would rather be at home...If it's possible."

Vader wondered which home she meant, his flagship or..._Alderaan._ "The Emperor will insist that you stay on Imperial Center."

She looked down and kicked her feet a few times as if bored. Such a child-like act seemed at odds with the public persona that Bade Nilor had helped to create. Occasionally, glimpses of the child she was before her father found her came to the surface. Vader was not sure if he was annoyed or gladdened by it.

On one hand, he liked seeing a more immature side to his daughter; it made her seem more normal. On the other hand, however, it made him ever mindful of the kind of darkness that he was leading his eight-year-old child into.

The training was necessary; the dark side of the Force was the only way to defeat Lord Sidious. If everything he planned came to pass, and he and Leia joins forces to kill the Emperor, there would be a price to pay. His daughter would be in darkness for the rest of her life.

_"...she is drowning and calling out for someone to save her, but her own father is continuing to push her under."_

Qui-Gon's ghostly words continued to come back to haunt him as if the dead Jedi's spirit was still in the room with him.

Both father and daughter did not speak for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Leia broke the silence. "What does he want with me?"

Vader knew immediately who she was speaking of. "You believe the Emperor wants something from you?"

She looked back up at him and answered with an authority that was well beyond her years. "Yes, and you fear whatever it is. That's why you don't want to return to Imperial Center. That is why you don't want me around him."

His annoyance spiked, "Do not presume, daughter."

Undaunted, Leia continued. "You linked your mind with mine and because of that you can sense my feelings. It works both ways, Father. There are times when your feelings are quite clear."

She was challenging him, plain and simple. Vader was suddenly reminded of his dream when an adult Leia stood over him ready to land the killing blow. Anger rose in him at the thought of such betrayal. Now, he was seeing the seeds of it right before him.

The ever familiar whisper of the dark side promised him that if Leia was allowed to live she would most certainly betray him. It would be so easy to remove the threat now before she grew any stronger.

All it would take would be just a little pressure on her throat.

Sensing the tide of her father's rage, Leia got up and ran toward the corner of the room to hide from Vader's wrath.

_"Please Anakin, do not do this."_ The voice of Qui-Gon had returned, but this time it was not a memory. His spirit was speaking directly to him.

He did not want to obey the disembodied voice of a dead Jedi, of all people. The darkest part of his soul even wanted to kill the child out of spite. However, as the seconds passed, Vader's blinding rage calmed.

He looked again at Leia who was shaking with fear while holding her neck as if to protect it.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as her tears fell freely.

Vader hated seeing her like this. The Sith in him did not want his daughter and future apprentice to weaken herself in such a manner. There was also something else, something coming from a secret place where Vader kept Anakin Skywalker's memories. It was not the whisperings of the dark side, but the opposite.

In his years as a Sith, Vader had suppressed that part of him to be able to accomplish his master's goals. Now, it was impossible to bury; it was screaming at him. It was manifesting itself as the voice of a father not wanting his little girl to be afraid of him.

"Do not cower!" In frustration at the internal war he was raging, he shouted.

"Please don't hurt me," she begged through her sobs.

"I do not wish you any harm, Leia." It was not the complete truth, the dark side of the Force inside him still demanded her death.

Leia's tears slowed but she did not make any moves to get any closer to him. "I just wish..."

"What do you wish?"

"I wish you weren't like this. I wish sometimes you could be my father and not a Sith."

He was surprised that she actually voiced such a desire to him, especially now. He was nearly dumbfounded.

"I am both." His daughter was too young to understand that it was impossible for him to separate those two aspects of himself.

"I've read the history of the Sith, and I never found one that had any kids."

The question was seemingly out of nowhere, but it was an astute observation to make--one that he would never would have even considered. Leia was right, he could not think of any past Sith Lord who had children. In the long history of the order, Vader found it hard to believe that he was the first. Either their names were not recorded, or they were killed--possibly by their own father's hand.

_"A true Sith does not allow himself any weakness."_

This time the words that were haunting him were of Lord Sidious. He had said it to him not long after he became his apprentice. In the perspective of true Sith ideology, it made sense that these children were sacrificed so their fathers could increase their own power.

It made Vader wonder why his master had allowed Leia to be in his custody, and made him even more uneasy over bringing her back to him.

Shaking his mind out of his suddenly troubling train of thought, Vader was curious as to why Leia had brought this up. Did she come to the same conclusions as he?

"What is the purpose of this?"

Not looking at her father, Leia sunk down in the floor. She still had not left the corner she was previously trying to hide herself in. Her voice was weak and unsure as if she wished she never brought the subject up. "I just wanted to talk to you."

The voice of Leia's father returned, it demanded that he take his child into his arms and promise that he would protect her from the cruel galaxy and love her until the stars died out--to tell her that he loved her. Vader knew what she wanted, and what was left of Anakin Skywalker wanted; but those things had been beyond him for far too long. "Leia, I cannot..."

Frustrated, Leia interrupted, "Could you pretend that you're not a Sith, for just a few minutes?"

"This is not productive." He nearly roared.

Setting her jaw, Leia's expression took on a hardened appearance. She was angry; Vader could feel it as clearly as he felt his own tumultuous emotions.

"Apparently, it isn't." She bit out harshly with much more sarcasm than usual.

The conversation had become much more than he expected. For the first time in his life, Vader wanted nothing more than to retreat.

"We will be arriving on Imperial Center in four hours. Prepare yourself for a public arrival."

Vader turned to leave, but as he was leaving he was stopped by Leia.

"Can you do one thing?"

"What is it?"

"Please don't leave me alone in the Imperial Palace. I hate that place."

Vader did not turn back to face her, instead continued out the door. "Then you must conquer your fear."


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter 19:**_

It was a beautiful day on Sokoris. The air was crisp and the trees were spectacular with their fall foliage. Spring and summer on the barely populated world was beautiful and lasted for a very long time, almost as long as one galactic standard year.

Extended warm months only meant that winter was extended as well. In the area that Obi-Wan settled, the locals spent most of their time during the spring and summer working constantly to ensure their survival when winter held the land in its icy grip.

Despite all of his own preparations, the Jedi hoped that they would not be caught unprepared when winter did come.

Obi-Wan hoped that Luke would be all right when the temperatures dipped low. For a boy who grew up in the desert, moving to Sokoris was a big change for him. Even during high summer, Luke always complained that he was cold.

Just like Anakin used to.

Shaking his mind from the sudden thought of his lost padawan, Obi-Wan focused on his current padawan in front of him.

"Very good Luke, but you're relying on your natural senses. Stretch out with your feelings." For the last month, he had been teaching him basic lightsaber techniques. So far, the boy was doing very well but he had a tendency to use his natural senses only. It was a habit that the Jedi was trying hard to get the boy to break.

Without breaking his concentration, Luke nodded and continued his exercises. Taking a few more swings of the saber, he deflected more of the remote droid's bolts.

"That's much better. Your form is improving every day."

Luke did not respond to his master's praise, but Obi-Wan could clearly feel the boy's happiness.

Using the Force, he switched off the remote and called it back to him. "That's enough for the day, you need to finish your chores."

Luke frowned in disappointment, "Ah Ben, I'm really getting the hang of it."

"You have plenty of time to learn. For now, I must attend to your cousin." Through the Force, Obi-Wan could feel that the toddler was beginning to stir from her nap.

Nodding, Luke began heading toward the house with his master. As they were walking the short distance, he turned to Obi-Wan. "When did you first learn to use a lightsaber?"

"I began Jedi training when I was very young. If I recall correctly, I was around five or six when I first picked up a saber."

Memories began flowing freely. He recalled his early training with Master Yoda and his apprenticeship with Qui-Gon. Those years were difficult, but were also his happiest.

Luke held up the lightsaber that he had been using in his training. "Where did you get this one?"

"It belonged to your father." Obi-Wan could barely speak the words. He did not want to give Luke Anakin's saber, but it was the only extra one he had.

It was the same weapon that the newly deemed Darth Vader used to destroy the Jedi in the temple. The same weapon used to kill the Jedi younglings was now in the hands of Anakin's own youngling. The bitter irony was not lost on the Obi-Wan.

"My father? Uncle Owen said that he was a navigator on a spice freighter."

Obi-Wan sighed, he did not want to talk to Luke about his father; not now especially. "He was a Jedi Knight, like I was. It is through him that you inherited your gifts of the Force."

"I always wondered about him. I wish I knew him."

_No you don't Luke, you really don't. _

"He would have loved to have known you." The Anakin Skywalker that he trained would have loved his son very much. Darth Vader would also want to know him as well. He would then have two children to lead into darkness.

"What was he like?"

"He was the best starfighter pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior. He was also a good friend."

Luke smiled, "I wish I could be a pilot."

Obi-Wan was well aware of his padawan's desire to learn how to fly. Every time they went into town the boy wanted nothing more than to wait and watch shuttles come in from other towns.

Luke then asked the one question that his master had been dreading the most. "What happened to him?"

Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan formulated the closest thing to the truth that he could tell the boy. "A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, killed him."

Luke was surprised, "Darth Vader, the man with the black armor? He was a Jedi?"

"Long ago, but then he betrayed and murdered your father." It was true, from a certain point of view.

"Did he always wear the mask?"

"No...no he didn't."

There was a long pause between them. Obi-Wan realized that his apprentice must have sensed his emotional turmoil. The moment was then broken by the sound of Siri's cries from inside the house.

"Could you tend to your cousin. I have many things I need to do outside."

Luke nodded and opened the door to go in. He stopped and turned to his master, "Ben, what was my father's name? I know he was a Skywalker, like me, but Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru would never tell me his first name."

"His name was Anakin."

His only response was a smile before going into the house, leaving Obi-Wan alone with his thoughts.

The Jedi was not alone for long. Feeling a ripple in the Force, Obi-Wan turned to find the ghostly form of his former master.

_"You lied to the boy."_ His tone was only that of a mild rebuke.

"I couldn't tell him the truth."

_"Obi-Wan, you have made things worse by lying to him."_

He shook his head, "He is not ready for the burden."

To Obi-Wan, his former master seemed more sad than angry. _"You are training Luke to hate Anakin, did you listen to anything I ever taught you?"_

Turning away from him, he spoke, "Don't call Darth Vader by that name." This was not a new argument between them. He hated it when Qui-Gon called the murdering Sith by his first name.

_"You must let go of his betrayal."_

Frustrated, Obi-Wan quickly turned back to face the spirit of the man he lost so many years ago. "Qui-Gon, you were not there the night he betrayed us. You did not see the bodies of the younglings in the temple that he killed with his lightsaber."

Feeling tears begin to form, he paused for a few moments to collect himself. "You did not watch as he choked the woman that he claimed to love. You were not given the responsibility of watching over one of the last hopes of the galaxy, and you are not living with the knowledge that you did nothing when the other one was claimed by darkness."

In the years since Anakin's turn toward the dark side, Obi-Wan had never articulated his feelings in such a blunt manner. It felt so un-Jedi.

With compassion in his ghostly eyes, Qui-Gon nodded, _"We're now getting to the heart of it; you are consumed by guilt."_

"The guilt is mine to bear."

_"Leia is not lost, not yet."_

"She is in the hands of the Sith." He wanted nothing more than to believe him, but experience had taught him that the darkness was too powerful.

_"There may be hope."_

Something in Qui-Gon's tone gave Obi-Wan pause, "Do you know something that I don't?"

_"I have gotten in contact with Anakin."_

The Jedi did not know whether to feel happy or betrayed by this news. "And you did not think that you should tell me this?"

Obi-Wan's curiosity then got the better of him, "What did he say?"

His old master hesitated slightly, _"He is resistant."_

"It is pointless trying to reason with him."

_"Maybe reason is not the key to reaching him. Maybe that was your first mistake."_

"What you are doing is futile." He knew that the warning would not be listened to by his stubborn master, but he felt the need to say it nonetheless.

_"I will do what I must, Obi-Wan."_

Thinking of Luke, he responded, "And I will do what I must."

Both Jedi and ghost did not speak for a few tense moments. Finally, Qui-Gon broke the silence. _"Answer me this, do you want Anakin to be saved?"_

"As unlikely as it is, it may be the only thing that could prevent Vader's daughter from becoming hopelessly lost to evil."

_"If Luke or Leia did not exist, would you want Anakin to be saved?"_

Obi-Wan felt as if someone kicked him in the chest. He needed to end this conversation quickly. "I have to go check on Luke."

_"Obi-Wan, how do you expect to train Luke in the way of the Jedi when you seem to be forgetting our most sacred principles? Let go of your anger."_

"I must go." With unshed tears stinging his eyes, Obi-Wan turned and went inside the house.

* * *

In the past, guests arriving to Aldera Palace was a time of great excitement. Bail and Breha Organa would sometimes invite over a dozen of their friends to spend weeks at a time at the palace 

The staff would open up the east wing of the massive home and happily prepare the suites for their temporary occupants. The additional headaches caused by the influx of beings were overshadowed by the excitement of planning the balls and formal dinners. It was a chance for everyone in the palace to have a diversion from the routine.

However, the guests arriving on this day were not invited by the queen; instead they were brought in by the hated Imperial governor who was using Aldera palace, which was an ancient symbol of Alderaanian culture, as a political backdrop.

The queen had been ordered by Malix to be there when the guests arrived, but she had not appeared yet. Her absence was causing the governor's frustration to increase rapidly.

For the last ten minutes, the handmaiden had watched with barely contained amusement as Malix paced and constantly checked his wrist chrono. Finally, he had enough waiting.

"Where is the queen?"

It was something that Zara wanted to know herself. "She told me to go on ahead, she will be following."

Malix resumed his pacing, "The guests are arriving, I want her here to meet them."

Even though she knew it would do no good, she tried to calm him down for the queen's sake. "I was told by her to meet her here. She must have been delayed."

His eyes narrowed in annoyance. Crossing the room to where Zara was standing, Malix stopped just inches from her. "Why didn't she get rid of you with the others?"

The handmaiden wished that she had not stood so close to the wall. His proximity caused her to back up and run into it. Early in her dealings with him, Zara learned that getting in close was Malix's favorite way of intimidating someone, especially a woman. "You will have to ask My Lady personally."

Malix placed his hand on the wall, essentially trapping her. He smiled at her discomfort and bent down to whisper in her ear, "Go ahead, tiny handmaiden, give me an excuse to kill you; there is little I'd like more."

Closing her eyes, Zara buried her fear as deeply as she could. She understood the risk that she took, and would gladly face Darth Vader himself if it meant that her mistress would be safe. Still, it did not lessen her terror.

Looking toward the window, she noticed the guests beginning to approach the entryway. Breathlessly, the handmaiden informed Malix. "The guests are arriving."

Placing his hand on her neck as if he was going to choke her, the governor whispered again, "This isn't over."

With her heart beating wildly, Zara looked directly into his eyes. "I don't suppose it is."

What followed was a blur. With his usual political flair, Malix greeted the dozen or so members of Imperial society that arrived. The number had increased since Zara first heard that guests were arriving.

She tried to ignore the conversations he was having, but could not help but notice two men in Moff uniforms staring in her direction. Finally, Malix made it around to them.

"Moff Pre'Lot and Terik, I'm glad you finally had a chance to visit Alderaan."

The first one, Pre'Lot she assumed, spoke up, "We still cannot believe that you managed to get an assignment such as this."

Malix grinned, "The Emperor is wise, my friends."

The younger of the two men, Terik, glanced again at Zara's direction before returning his attention to the governor. "I hear the natives are restless."

"We've had some rough patches, but that is to be expected."

Pre'Lot laughed, "You had better be careful, there are rumors that the Emperor is looking very closely at the Alderaanian situation."

"I welcome his scrutiny, he will be pleased with my work."

Zara knew that was the furthest thing from the truth.

Looking around the room, Terik asked, "Where is this queen we've heard so much about?"

It was all Malix could do to keep his smile in place. "She has been...delayed. She'll be along shortly."

"Another restless native?" Asked Pre'Lot. Both visiting Moffs then laughed as if he had told the most amusing joke ever.

Malix was not laughing. "She is only delayed."

Terik looked again at Zara, "Speaking of natives, they sure are pleasing to look at. Who is she?"

Zara, who had so far tried to pretend that she was not listening to their conversation, realized in horror that they were making their way to her.

Malix rolled his eyes, "The queen's handmaiden."

Without any form of decorum and decency, Terik raked his eyes over her. "Maybe later I can get an up close view of Alderaanian culture."

He then reached out to touch her arm which caused the handmaiden to jerk away from him. Her reaction pleased the Moff greatly, "Don't be frightened, I'll be very gentle."

Zara wanted to run, but she knew it would only amuse Terik even more, not to mention Malix. Blessedly, the conversation was cut short by the arrival of additional guests.

Forgetting his two companions, Malix rushed toward the door. "Lissa, you're finally here." In a show of honest affection that surprised Zara greatly, the governor warmly embraced the woman.

"Hello Fius."

His sister appeared to be older than the governor by a few years. She could see a strong family resemblance between the two. They both had the same light brown hair and grey eyes. However, unlike her brother, Lissa Malix's eyes were warm and friendly.

"How was your trip?"

Lissa smiled, "It was fine."

Malix then turned his attention toward the other new arrival. "Nora, it's wonderful to see you again. You have certainly grown."

The teenage girl smiled politely, "Hello Uncle."

"How is the academy?"

She nodded, "It's good."

"Excellent," Malix laughed. "Is Headmaster Aros still ruling the school with an iron fist?"

To Zara, it was odd seeing the man who threatened her life just moments before become a completely different man in the presence of his family. He seemed so normal.

Nora shook her head, "No, he was replaced a year ago. Emperor Palpatine appointed one in his inner circle to the position."

"The Emperor is wise, I'm sure it's for the school's benefit."

She shrugged, "I guess."

He returned his attention to his sister, "So, what do you think of Alderaan?"

"It is beautiful."

"You cannot see much from the landing pad. I'll schedule an outing in the next few days to show you some of the best sites."

A strange look crossed Lissa's face; she appeared suddenly uncomfortable. "That will be fine."

As she watched in fascination, Zara was surprised by the presence that came up to stand next to her "My Queen, are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

She knew that she was far from fine, but was aware that now was not the time to say anything more. Any further conversation was stopped by Malix's approach.

"Your Highness, I was beginning to think that you were not going to come."

Breha nodded, "I know, I was delayed."

A look of fury crossed his face and the handmaiden knew that there would be hell to pay later on. Plastering a smile onto his face, he led the queen toward the guests. "You have introductions to make."

* * *

Breha was fully aware that Malix was furious at her. While he did not say anything while greeting his guests, she knew enough about the man to be able to determine his moods. He was very angry, and the queen knew she would hear from him very soon. 

It did not take very long for him to make his appearance.

After the introductory meeting with the various Imperial dignitaries that he invited, Breha went back to bed. She wanted nothing more than to hide away in her bedroom until she had to go to the ball that Malix had scheduled for later that evening.

She was not asleep for long when Breha was awoken by raised voices coming from the other side of the door.

"Get out of my way!" Malix yelled.

"Governor, the queen is resting and should not be disturbed." Zara's voice was steady, but there was an underlying nervousness that she could not disguise.

The sickening sound of a fist hitting delicate flesh and a muffled cry of pain was the next thing Breha could hear. She barely had time to sit up in the bed before the governor stormed inside.

"Malix!" She yelled out in shock.

"Get out of bed, now!"

Breha quickly got up and immediately ran to Zara. She was in the hallway slumped over, holding her face where he had struck her.

Looking up, she saw the man who perpetrated this crime standing over her. "Why did you do this?"

Malix reached down, grabbed Breha by the arm, and roughly pulled her up to him. "Did you think that you could make a fool out of me and not be punished?"

She had seen him angry before, but there was something much more dangerous in his tone. "Please calm down."

"You humiliated me in front of my peers and my own family. Did you not think that there would be a cost for your little rebellion?"

Breha shook her head, "I was a little late."

"You made me wait for you like I'm one of your servants!" He screamed. "You stupid woman, you should understand by now that it is _me_ that _you_ serve!"

She could feel his grip tighten on her arm. "You didn't have to hit Zara. I would have come."

Malix then pulled her into the bedroom. "Apologize to me, now."

"I was only a few minutes late."

The governor smiled. Unlike his political face, this smile was cold and cruel. "All right, if that's the way you want this to go, I can oblige." He paused and glanced in the direction of the hallway where Zara was lying. "Moff Terik is quite taken with your little handmaiden and desires a lovely bed warmer for the duration of his time here. Shall I bring her to him?"

Breha felt cold and powerless. "You wouldn't!"

He shook his head, "My dear, you should understand me well enough by now to know better than that. You have the power to save the girl from, what I'm sure will be, all manner of dishonor. Just apologize to me, and I'll forget the whole thing."

Closing her eyes, Breha knew what she had to do. "I'm sorry for being late."

"And for making a fool out of me."

"And for making a fool out of you," she repeated obediently with her head bowed in submission.

Malix then reached out and caressed Breha's tear stained face, "Will you do it again?"

The queen shook her head, "No Governor Malix, I will not."

"Very good." His expression immediately changed to the winning smile that she was used to from him, but he did not release her from his tight grip. "You had better begin getting ready for tonight's ball. I want you to wear something in dark blue, it is my favorite color on you."

Breha could barely process what he was saying, but she did understand her orders.

"Don't you agree?" He insisted when she did not immediately respond.

"Yes Governor." Looking back at where Zara was still lying, Breha clearly understood what would happen if she did not agree.

Malix laughed, "My Dear, when we are private, call me Fius. I think we are beyond such formality now."

It was not a request; it was an order. "Yes...Fius." Breha nearly choked on the word.

"Very good."

Finally, he released his tight grip from her arm and Breha immediately ran to Zara's side. Her handmaiden was still disoriented and her left eye was badly bruised. However, she was beginning to get up.

Malix, who watched the scene with much amusement, finally began walking away with what appeared to be a spring to his step. Before he left, he turned and addressed Zara with a grin, "You may want to put a bacta weave on that eye."

* * *

The governor was in top form during the ball. With Breha on his arm most of the night, he made his way to every guest and displayed rhetorical skills that the queen could not help but be almost impressed with. 

Even though she knew what evil lied underneath his smile, she had to give him his due. Moff Malix was one of the best politicians that she had ever seen. In another life, he might have been able to do some good for the galaxy.

After the ball was over, Breha declined to be escorted back to her suites. She even told Zara that she was off duty for the rest of the night; the queen wanted to be alone. Besides, even though she displayed a brave face during the ball, the handmaiden was still not recovered from her earlier encounter with the governor.

Instead of going directly to her suite, Breha had an urge to walk the halls of the palace. She wished she could go outside, but Malix would not have allowed her to go in the gardens unescorted.

She eventually made her way to a part of Aldera palace that she had not visited in quite some time--ever since her husband's funeral.

The north wing of the palace was small and reserved mainly for the display of tokens from dead family members. It was referred to as the _Hall of Remembrance_. Breha visited it often after her father died so many years ago.

Stopping in front of the door, the queen hesitated. Unlike after her father's death, she had not visited this room at all after Bail's funeral. She did not think that she could bear to see the holos and other personal items of his that were selected, by what once was her staff, to grace the hall.

Tonight, Breha needed to remember.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the massive doors and stepped inside. She prayed that Malix would not find out and decide to intrude here. She did not think that she could take one more second of that man's company, especially in this sacred place.

Breha was inundated with reminders of her husband. Holos filled the walls and surfaces. She wept as she saw her dead husband seemingly smiling back at her from the other side of existence.

One holo especially captured her attention. It was the only one with her, Bail and Leia. It was a bitter reminder of happier times, before Vader took their little girl and before Malix took her soul.

Breha wanted to scream in anger, but no sound came. More so than ever, loneliness pressed down on her until she felt that she could no longer breathe.

In that moment, another item caught the queen's attention. Walking over to its location, memories of her final conversation with Bail were recalled.

_"There's a man named Jesko Sarin in Malensir; contact him, he'll give you something... Just remember, not all hope has been lost."_

That _"something"_ was now displayed in the Hall of Remembrance. Breha could not remember an object so much.

Jesko Sarin was supposed to have been her and Leia's salvation. Her husband had told her that this art dealer would give her something to help her. When he arrived, all he brought was this hideous statue.

The queen suddenly had a destructive impulse. She picked it up and, with all of her might, threw it against the wall. Hearing it break into millions of pieces gave her little satisfaction.

As she turned to leave, however, something caught her eye. Later on, Breha would wonder if it was divine providence that made her notice the odd shape on the floor amongst the pieces of the broken statue.

Slowly she approached it; bending down the queen realized what had been hidden in it all along: a datapad.

_"I know you will be very pleased with the piece I've recommended. You will find it quite surprising. As all true masterpieces are, it is much more than meets the eye."_

That was the last thing that Jesko Sarin had told her as he was being led out of the palace. Breha realized that he was trying to tell her something--something that, in her fresh grief, she did not listen to.

Quickly, she scooped up the datapad and examined it. It was in working order and appeared to contain a several files. One of them in particular caught her attention, it was a holo recording.

Praying that she would not be discovered, Breha ran as fast as she could from the north wing to her residence suite. With her hands shaking, she inserted the datapad into the holo viewer.

Within seconds the smiling face of Bail Organa appeared before her.

_"My beautiful Breha, I am making this recording in the hope that you will never have to see it. If you are viewing it now, that means that something terrible has happened, Lord Vader has discovered his connection to Leia. It is something that is hard for me to voice, even now when I can look out of the window and see her playing in the garden. However, it is a possibility that we need to be prepared for."_

_"If you are viewing this, Leia has been taken and I'm most likely dead. Again, I pray that you never have to see this. I'm not afraid to die, but I'm terrified at the prospect of our daughter in Vader's custody."_

_"Enclosed in the datapad that holds this message are instructions to contact a friend of mine, a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi. He's the only man that has any hope of possibly rescuing Leia from Vader. It may take some time to get the message to him, but I know him, he'll come if she is in danger. Please do not hesitate sending the message, the longer Leia is in Vader's custody, the worse it will be for her, and the galaxy."_

_"I am also painfully aware that if Leia is discovered and I am killed, the Empire will most likely take control of Alderaan. My so-called treason will be just the excuse that the Emperor will need to clamp down on our people."_

_"I am sure that you are living a nightmare right now. I'm so sorry that I can't be there for you. Of all the choices that I made, my only regret is that, if I'm discovered, you will be left alone."_

_"However, I know you better than you probably know yourself. I've seen your strength and I know what you are made of. Do not give in to despair, my beautiful queen. There is always hope even in the darkest night. Never give up and never forget!"_

_"Breha, I wish I could make this message longer, but there's not much room on this datapad. There is so much more that I wish I could say to you. When you see Leia again, give her a hug for me. Farewell my queen, I've loved you since the first moment I laid eyes on you and I will love you forever."_

Weeping, Breha watched as the holo flickered and turned itself off. After pulling the datapad from the holo viewer, she could barely stand. She began making her way to her bed, but did not make it.

A combination of relief and extreme grief made her fall hard on the floor of her bedroom. Clutching the datapad in her arms, she wept for Bail and wept for the fact that this message had been in that statue the entire time and she did not know it. The delay may have been too long for the Jedi to get to Leia.

The art dealer told her that the statue was much more than it seemed, but she was so eat up with grief and disappointment that Breha did not understand what he meant. Her refusal to listen may have cost Leia's soul.

With shaking hands, she looked at the precious datapad again. The complicated instructions to contact the Jedi were there, just as her husband promised. Even if it had been several months, she refused to believe that Leia was completely lost. She would contact Obi-Wan Kenobi.

With a strength of purpose that she had not felt in a long time, Breha Organa got up from the floor and began making plans to send a message.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Chapter 20:**_

It was late when Lissa Malix and her daughter returned to their living quarters in the palace. In the five days that they had been on Alderaan, they had very little time to appreciate the opulence of their surroundings. Ever since the moment their transport touched down, they rarely had a chance to rest.

Every morning, when Lissa awoke, she would find her appointment calendar filled with various and sundry social activities which would keep them busy all day. Not wanting to needlessly antagonize her brother, she would make certain that her and her daughter were at every single one.

Nora was happy to attend the parties and formal dinners. She liked her uncle because he always went out of his way to make certain that she was having a good time. He also did not treat her like a child which very much appealed to the sixteen-year-old girl.

However, tonight her attitude about her uncle changed with his behavior at dinner. Lissa hoped that Nora would never have to see Fius that way, but she knew that some of her brother's quirks could not be hidden for very long.

"What is wrong with him?" Nora demanded the second the door closed.

Lissa spoke carefully, "Your uncle is...troubled."

"Troubled? He's insane!"

The evening's dinner party was going smoothly until Moff Pre'Lot made an off-hand comment about the Alderaanian resistance, a small but growing movement against Imperial rule of their home planet.

When Lissa heard the man's comment, she knew her brother enough to know that it would set him off; she was not disappointed. Within the space of five minutes, their pleasant and polite dinner party turned into a forum for Fius' political ranting.

Even the other Imperial dignitaries at the table were shocked silent and seemingly very uncomfortable as Malix went on for the next hour about how he planned to destroy every vestige of resistance to his rule to make way for the Emperor's greater rule.

The only one not surprised by the sudden change in Fius' mood was his sister; she had seen it many times in the past.

"Nora, Fius is my brother and I love him very much." Ever since he was a baby she, as the eldest of the family, felt responsible for her brother. Even though she knew what he was capable of, she could not help but care for him.

"That doesn't mean he's not crazy," the girl explained as if it was the most logical conclusion to make.

Lissa sighed, "He's had certain problems since he was a teenager." The last thing she wanted to do was discus her brother's many issues, but she felt her daughter deserved an explanation--and a warning.

"Since prepatory academy?"

The woman's mind began sounding warning bells. _No, please don't make me talk about prepatory academy._ "Why do you say that?"

Nora sat down on a couch in the small sitting room outside of their suite's bedrooms. "Because, some of the same instructors that were there then are still teaching."

"What did they say?"

"One of them, Instructor Ay'No, on the first day of her class noted my last name and asked me if I was any way related to _Fius_ Malix."

Lissa inwardly cringed. When she married her late husband it was decided, since the Malix family name carried much more clout on Luskan than his, that her and any children of theirs would keep that surname. She had regretted that decision on many occasions, this moment was one of them.

Nora continued, "When I told her that I was his niece she got this weird look on her face."

"Did she say anything?" Lissa knew full well that the instructor's unease had nothing to do with Fius' position as a Moff. The academy her daughter attended was filled with the relatives of those connected to the Imperial government.

Nora shook her head, "She hardly ever said a word to me again. Since then...I've heard some rumors."

"What sort of rumors?"

"Nothing specific," she admitted. "Just that he did something really bad; but because of Grandfather's money they couldn't expel him. I didn't really believe them until tonight."

Lissa turned from her daughter's searching gaze, "You shouldn't listen to rumors."

"What did he do, Mother?"

A sob caught in her throat as old feelings and memories that she had tried desperately to forget came rushing back. She recalled the late night comm., her mother's weeping, and her father's ranting that the family's reputation was forever destroyed. "I'm not discussing this right now."

Nora stood to face her mother, "Is that the reason why the queen is so terrified of him?" The queen tried to hide her feelings in public, but it did not take much perception to see the fear in her eyes when she was with Malix.

Lissa then realized the danger in what they were discussing. "We need to be very careful of what we say."

Nora's eyes narrowed and motioned to her mother to follow her. Together they went out onto their suite's veranda. "You think the room is bugged?"

"I would not be surprised." Lissa mentally kicked herself for being so careless.

"He would bug the rooms of his own family?" Nora whispered incredulously.

"Yes." She knew that her brother loved her in his own way, but he trusted no one. It would be perfectly in keeping with his personality to put listening devices in her and Nora's suite. He would claim it was for their own protection.

A pained expression crossed the teenage girl's face, "How long are we going to be here?"

Lissa shook her head, "I don't know." While she had told Fius that their visit was going to be short, things that he had said since they arrived indicated that he intended for them to stay much longer. "While we are here, we need to be very careful around your uncle."

"You are afraid of him too?"

"I know what he can be capable of. Let's just say that he didn't become an Imperial Moff because of his charitable deeds," Lissa explained.

"He seemed happy to see us."

"Your uncle has a side to him that is kind, loving, and caring. However, there's also another side to him that is ruthless and unimaginably cruel." Lissa remembered how he had always been a person of extremes, even as a small child. "We will need to be careful to not bring out that side of him."

Nora was silent for a few moments as she took in this new information. She then turned back to her mother, "If he's like this, why did we come here?"

Lissa recalled her brother's comm when he told her to come to Alderaan. "I didn't have much say in the matter." She supposed, if she wanted to push it, that she could have refused to get on the transport and told Nora to do the same. However, experience had told her that it was best to pick one's battles when dealing with Fius.

"We can't leave?"

"He'll let us go only when he's ready for us to leave."

Nora turned from her mother, "I hate this."

"I know; I'm so sorry that you had to be dragged into this." Lissa then placed what she hoped was a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "To stay in his good graces, the best thing for you to do is just agree with him. Don't challenge any of his opinions, and do what he tells you."

"Any of his opinions?"

"Yes, if he tells you that the galaxy is made up of nerf steak, you are to smile and nod your head in agreement." She hoped that using hyperbole would make her daughter understand. Nora had a tendency to be very outspoken at the absolute worst times. In their current family and political climate, such things could be very dangerous.

Lissa continued, "He lives in his own world, for the most part, if someone in his life does not play the part that he deems they should play...he can get violent."

"What part are we here to play?"

She shook her head, "I'm not sure yet."

Nora threw her hands up in frustration, "You are afraid of him this much yet you still say that you love him."

"Just because someone is lost does not mean that you stop loving him." No matter how much reason told her to write Fius off, Lissa still could not close her heart to him.

"Do you think there is hope for him?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Lord Vader and his daughter arrived on Imperial Center with the usual fanfare that accompanied Leia when she was in public, all orchestrated by the Emperor. The girl was popular with the people, and served as a representative of the softer side of the Empire. 

Vader despised all of it, and wished fervently that one of the reporters would attempt to get too close to Leia. He wanted a reason to strangle one of them.

His daughter greeted the crowd of press and well-wishers with a big smile, but he knew it was an act. Leia did not want to be here any more than he did. He could feel her fear of meeting the Emperor again.

During the trip back to the capital, Vader pondered the reasons why his master wanted to see her. He knew that the summons had nothing to do with him. It was possible that the incident on Kuat and what he no doubt had learned from his spies on board the _Devastator_ made him want to judge for himself the extent of the girl's power.

That was the optimistic interpretation of Lord Sidious' order, but Vader had left optimism behind long ago in the fires of Mustafar. Whatever his master's purpose of ordering Leia before him, the Sith apprentice could not help but feel that nothing would ever be the same.

Much to the disappointment of the press and the onlookers, father and daughter immediately boarded another shuttle to take them directly to the Imperial Palace. As the massive monstrosity that the Emperor called his home came into view, Vader could feel Leia's fear increase. Vader did not have any words to comfort her, so he decided to say nothing.

When the arrived, they were immediately escorted to the antechamber of the throne room. After they waited several minutes, Leia's nerves finally got the better of her. She sighed loudly and began pacing, "Why is he making us wait this long?"

"He is the Emperor; he cares little for our schedules."

"I wish he'd just open the doors. I want to get this over with." Leia turned back to her father, "Does he always make you wait?"

"Yes." Making Vader wait was one of Sidious' many ways of keeping his apprentice in his place; one more reminder that he was only a servant.

Before she could speak again, the massive doors opened and father and daughter entered the room together. Vader knelt before him and Leia followed suit. "What is thy bidding, my master?"

The familiar and dark presence of his master washed over him, but seemed to settle on Leia. Even though Vader's eyes were downcast in submission, he knew that Sidious' own eyes were firmly fixed on his Leia.

After a few moments, he finally spoke, "You are late."

"It was an unavoidable delay." It was not the first lie that he had told his master, and certainly would not be the last. The truth was that Vader had stalled as long as possible before returning to Imperial Center.

"I'm sure it was." Sidious made no effort to hide his amusement. He then motioned to the pair, "Both of you, rise."

When they stood, Vader confirmed that his master's eyes were firmly on his daughter. It was not just his eyes, the apprentice knew that Sidious was inside Leia's mind as well. Despite the attention, the girl was doing remarkably well. She was frightened, but she also was refusing to look away from him. As a father, he was very proud of her strength.

Sidious grinned, "Leia, you have grown much since I last saw you in person; and not just physically. Your father has taught you much in the ways of the Force."

Vader noticed immediately that his master was using his Palpatine voice. It was the same grandfatherly tone that the young Anakin Skywalker had been reeled in with. It was friendly, caring, and supportive--it was a lie. The Sith apprentice knew exactly what his master was doing, and it enraged him even more.

Leia answered, "He has, Lord Sidious."

The Emperor grinned, "And he has taught you much in the way of the Sith as well."

The girl immediately felt that she had said something she should not. Sidious' true identity was only known to a few beings in the galaxy, but Vader had long ago made Leia privy to that knowledge.

The Sith master then laughed, "Do not be frightened, you have not spoken in error."

"I am not frightened," Leia lied.

Sidious then turned to Vader. "The child's mental shielding is far too weak," he commanded with all vestiges of the Palpatine voice gone. "See that it is corrected."

"It will be done," he vowed.

The Emperor then turned back to the child; his paternal smile was firmly in place. "Leave us, Lord Vader, I wish to speak with your daughter alone."

Panic arose within him, the thought of leaving Leia alone with the Emperor terrified him in a place that Vader did not realize still existed. "Master, I..."

Without sparing a glance at his apprentice, Sidious warned, "Do not make me ask again."

Vader was torn between his daughter's mental pleadings for him to not leave and his master's orders. If he refused, there would be hell to pay and he was not ready to challenge his master…not yet.

Making a decision that he hoped he would not regret, Vader turned and walked out of the throne room.

* * *

It was a perfect winter's day in Aldera. The breathtaking mountains were the perfect backdrop to the scene before him. The light reflecting off of the snow made the city almost glow in the midday sun. 

Fius Malix could not imagine ever getting so used to the planet that the Emperor was so gracious in letting him rule in his stead that he would take it for granted. He had never loved Luskan like this.

When he was a boy all he wanted to do was leave his home to make a mark on the galaxy. Now, all he wanted was another world to make his home and a family.

Malix smiled as he thought about the path that fate had laid out for him. He now had a home, and a position that allowed him to affect real change. What he did not have was the family that he had always wanted...not yet.

The sound of his office's door chime broke the governor from his reverie. Opening the door, he grinned when he laid eyes on his visitor. "Right on time, good morning Breha."

He had scheduled a meeting with the queen and was pleased to see that she was now taking his orders more seriously than before. He hoped that she finally understood, and he would not have to teach her any more harsh lessons like before. He hated to see her so upset.

She entered his office with her usual grace. "Good morning, you wanted to see me."

Malix realized that it was the first time that she had so easily returned a greeting. Her saying _"good morning"_ might not have seemed like a big deal to most, but to him, it was music to his ears. Usually, Breha was stubbornly silent during their meetings.

"Sit down," he motioned to a chair. "Tea?" He offered cheerfully.

Breha nodded and smiled, "That would be lovely, thank you."

As he prepared the tea, he thought about the queen's seemingly sudden change. Just days ago, she seemed lost in perpetual grief; something had changed recently.

When he handed her the cup he could not help but comment, "You are in a good mood this morning."

"Are you complaining?"

Fius laughed and shook his head, "No, it's good to see." He paused and looked longingly at her. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms. "You have such a beautiful smile."

"You brought me here just to comment on my mood?" asked Breha.

He shook he his head, "No, but you have brightened my day with it; thank you." Wishing that he did not have to break the mood, Malix reluctantly picked up a datapad that was on his desk and handed it to the queen, "As you know, Empire Day is fast approaching."

She nodded as she scanned the contents of the pad. "Yes, in two months."

Sitting down in a chair beside Breha, Malix continued, "I will not spare the truth from you. The security measures that I implemented are, as you can very well imagine, very costly. In short, Alderaan needs many more credits from the Imperial government; if not, I may have to implement rationing."

The queen's head shot up in surprise, "Rationing?"

"Yes, it is a step I do not want to take, Fius explained with regret. "Even though the people have done nothing but hate and defy me, I still do not want to see them suffer." He then reached out and gently brushed his hand with hers. "I know you don't want that as well."

Breha flinched slightly but did not attempt to move her hand, "No, I don't."

Thrilled that she was much less stubborn than usual, he grinned. "Then we are agreed."

"What do you want from me?"

"When we return to Imperial Center, I want you to speak to the Senate on my behalf." Malix knew that the queen had more admirers in the Imperial Senate than he did. Her words would carry far greater weight than his.

"To request more funding?"

Malix nodded, "Yes, you understand completely." Seeing her unease, he reached out again but this time he took her hand completely into his own. "I know it'll be difficult for you, considering your dead husband's occupation, but I will be at your side the entire time."

Breha stiffened and tried to break away from his gaze, "Governor, I..."

"Fius," he interrupted, "Call me Fius." He hated when she called him by his formal title; it was one more reminder that she was not fully his.

"Fius, I will speak on your behalf to the Imperial Senate."

He smiled and moved closer, "Good."

Breha looked toward the door as if she was contemplating leaving the room. "Please stop, I can't…"

Malix's anger surged, "Yes you can." He was sick and tired of being refused by this woman. His grip on her hand tightened, "Is it your reputation that you are concerned about? Are you worried that your precious honor will be compromised? I don't want a fling; I want to make you my wife."

For reasons that Fius could not understand, his assertion that he wanted to marry her seemed to make her even more upset.

"I had a husband," she whispered as if to herself.

Malix was also tired of being reminded of Bail Organa. He wished he could purge that man's memory from Breha's mind. In frustration, he stood and began pacing the room. "Yes, and he died for his crimes like all traitors."

The queen shook her head, "You want me to love you, yet you say things like that."

"I want you to realize that if Bail Organa truly loved you, he would have cared more about you than his treason!" Fius shouted. "He should have known that his kidnapping of Lord Vader's daughter would have been discovered; there is little that the Emperor does not see."

Malix then took a deep breath to release some of his anger and again sat down beside the queen. He hated having to be so harsh, but she needed to understand the truth. He took her small hand in his and again leaned in close. "He should have given that child to her rightful father from the very moment she was discovered and worked to build a future for his family and his people within the Empire; but he didn't."

Breha did not speak and Malix hoped that she was truly considering what he was saying to her. Finally, she looked into his steely grey eyes and responded, "Leia's biological father is Darth Vader. I know you adore the Emperor and everything he does, but don't tell me that you don't fear Vader. If you raised a child since birth, would you want her in his hands?"

Fius broke from her searching gaze, "I refuse to get drawn into this hypothetical argument."

"I'll take that as a no."

"I would never kidnap Lord Vader's child, so this is irrelevant." The governor then met Breha's gaze again. "You would have never known the pain of losing her if you had never known her. That is what I'm trying to explain to you. Bail Organa's actions are the cause of your pain. In time you will see this."

"I would have done nothing different. The years with my daughter were worth the pain." Breha was so lost in her own thoughts and feelings she did not seem to notice that the governor had begun lightly caressing the back of her hand with his thumb.

"So, despite all evidence that holding on to that child in your heart is futile, and you will never see her again, you still persist."

"Yes," she declared.

"The evidence may tell me that believing you will be my wife someday is futile and pointless, but I don't give up."

Breha shook her head, "That is different."

"Yes, there is a difference," said Malix. "One is a hopeless endeavor. You will never see Leia again; Lord Vader does not give up what is his."

When the queen did not respond, Fius continued, "Do you want me to lie to you and tell you that Vader will change his mind and let the child be raised by you? Do you want me to tell you that the Emperor will allow Alderaan its own sovereignty again?"

Malix brought his other hand up to lightly caress her face, "It isn't going to happen. Whether you like it or not, this is reality. If there is one thing about me that you can count on is that I will never lie to you."

"You say that me holding on to Leia is pointless, but your belief that I will be with you willingly is not?"

"No, it isn't," he declared with smug assurance.

"Why do you say that?"

He laughed, leaned in even closer and whispered in Breha's ear. "Because only a few months ago, you would have never been this close to me without flinching."

* * *

Leia was furious with her father, the Emperor could feel the rage coming off of the child in waves as his apprentice left the room. Sidious closed his eyes as the girl's feelings washed over him. She was much more powerful than he originally thought. 

He could tell that she was also afraid of him, but that fear was overshadowed by her anger. The Emperor grinned when he felt the child using a Sith technique to internalize her feelings and increase her power within the Force. In that respect, Vader's daughter had been taught well. There was still very much she needed to know--much that her father could not teach her.

"Do you want to be here?" Palpatine knew the answer to the question, but he wanted to see how the girl responded.

"I am here as you commanded, My Lord." Leia's voice was calm, but her mind was racing.

Sidious gave her his most grandfatherly smile, "You need not fear me, my child."

"I am not afraid."

The Emperor sighed disappointment, "I now know of another way that you are like your father; you both cannot tell an effective lie." The girl had many political strengths, but many more would have to be developed if she were to be useful to him.

Leia knew that she had lost the battle, "I am afraid."

"Why?"

"You are powerful; I can feel it."

As the child's distress increased, Sidious could more easily break into her thoughts. A few memories were still hidden from him, but in effect he had full access to her mind.

He could fully feel the girl's fear of him and Vader, her anger at being removed from her adopted parents, and her loneliness at being so isolated on the _Devastator_; he savored her turbulent emotions as one would a fine wine.

Fear, anger, and isolation would be the deadly cocktail that would bring Leia under his complete control. It would not take much, a word here and a doubt planted there. It was almost too easy--just as it was with Vader.

"Many fear me, and rightly so; but you do not need to be," he assured the child.

Leia was not convinced, but she did relax somewhat. "What do you want?"

"I want to know how you are doing."

"I'm fine."

The Emperor nodded, "Are you enjoying your work as my ambassador?"

"Yes, it is an honor to serve."

Sidious laughed, "Nilor has taught you well, but I can see right through that." Before Leia had a chance to respond, he put up his hand to stop her. "But that isn't the reason why I called you here."

His tone then became serious, "I am concerned about you, little one."

Leia looked at him with suspicion, "Why?"

"There are things that I have heard; things that trouble me greatly." Sidious was enjoying playing the concerned father figure, it had been a while since he had the chance.

"What have you heard?"

"Only that yours and your father's relationship is strained; and that you are afraid of him."

Leia's anger surged, "Professor Nilor told you this, didn't he?"

"Of course, he is my eyes and ears on the _Devastator_." There was no use denying it. "I do not want to see you harmed; I know that Vader has a temper."

"He hasn't hurt he."

Diving deeper into the child's mind, he found exactly what he was looking for. "But he tried to hurt you...tried to choke you."

In surprise, the child stepped back as if struck. Her hands immediately went to her neck as she relived the memory. "He stopped."

"But you felt the pressure on your throat." Sidious shook his head, "Vader will never learn."

"Please don't tell him that you know!" The girl exclaimed in terror.

"I will not have my apprentice harm one as precious as you, even if you are his own daughter." The Emperor then got up from his throne and came down to where the child was standing. He bent down to her level, "Say the word child, and I won't let him take you with him."

Leia shook her head, "He's my father; I want to be with him."

"You have given him loyalty that he does not deserve." The Dark Lord then got up and returned to his throne. "Remember, all you have to do is ask and I'll make certain Vader never sees you again."


	21. Chapter 21

_**Chapter 21:**_

Zara cursed under her breath when she reviewed her messages. She had sent a status report to her contact within the Rebellion three weeks ago and had not yet received a reply. Like most undercover operatives they employed, the handmaiden was sent orders through encoded HoloNet communications.

She did not expect an immediate reply, but after so long Zara was beginning to panic. It was possible that there was an increased crackdown on illicit communications back on Coruscant. However, she feared that the silence either meant that her contact was dead or it was decided that the Alderaanian situation was a lost cause.

Zara did not want to think about the possibility of the Rebellion abandoning the queen. They promised her that they would do what they could to rescue Bail Organa's wife, but so far nothing had happened. The handmaiden wanted to have faith in them; but hope was eroding daily.

Leaving her own quarters, Zara made her way toward the royal suite to see if the queen needed her for anything. As she traveled the vast hallways of Aldera Palace she saw something in the distance that made her wish that she had gone another way.

Directly in front of her she spied Moffs Malix and Terik having a conversation in the hallway. All hopes that she could exit the premises without being seen were dashed when she saw Moff Terik's leering grin.

"Ah, the beautiful handmaiden, what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Terik believed himself to be quite the ladies man; he was well known in the Coruscant gossip mill as having an almost insatiable appetite for pleasures of the flesh.

Zara knew that she had no choice but to acknowledge their presence. "Good evening Governor Terik, Governor Malix."

Terik's hand grasped hers as she passed, "Just where are you running off to?"

The handmaiden only spared Malix a momentary glance. She knew he would be the last one to rescue her from Terik's attentions. "I must attend the queen."

He laughed and turned to Malix, but did not let go of Zara's arm, "These Alderaanians are certainly duty bound."

Malix did not return the jest; Zara could feel his cold stare upon her, "They have proved to be a stubborn lot, especially this one."

"What trouble could she give you?" Terik asked. "Malix, I think you are taking this Alderaanian resistance a bit too seriously."

"Many do not know their place."

"As long as they pay their taxes, send their quota of conscripts, and don't cause too much trouble, what does it matter what they think?"

Zara wondered how long she would have to endure this. She could see that Malix was increasingly agitated at Terik and it would only be moments before there would be an outburst. The handmaiden hoped she was away from them when it happened. The last time Malix wanted to prove a point, it ended with her receiving a black eye.

Finally Terik let Zara go but not before planting a courtly kiss on the back of her hand, "You must excuse Governor Malix, my dear handmaiden, he takes things far too seriously. You go attend to your duties."

Zara never thought she would ever be so grateful to an Imperial Moff. Giving a quick curtsy, the handmaiden walked as quickly as she could without making it too obvious she was in a rush to leave. As she went down the hall she could hear Malix continuing to argue and Terik trying his best to lighten the mood; Zara actually felt sorry for the other man.

When she reached the royal suite, the queen appeared very nervous. "Is there something you need Zara?"

"No, I was coming to ask you the same question." When Breha came into full light, Zara gasped when she saw her. "My Queen! Are you all right? What happened?"

Breha looked away, "It's nothing."

"Your skin is bright red." In fact, it was more than that. Her face, hands, and arms appeared as if they had been scalded.

"The water was a little too warm."

Zara reached out and took the queen's hands. Further inspection revealed that her first assessment was right. "You are burned. By the Maker, your skin has been rubbed raw!"

Breha snatched her hands away quickly, "It's fine; it was just a vigorous shower."

The handmaiden immediately headed toward the suite's comm unit. "I'm contacting a doctor."

"No!" Breha exclaimed. "It's fine."

Zara could not understand why she was acting this way. She wondered why there was so much fear in the queen's eyes. It then dawned on her what might have happened. "Did Malix do something to you?" She asked softly.

When Breha did not answer immediately, a sob caught in the handmaiden's throat, "He didn't..."

"No," the queen answered quickly. If Malix had done something to her, Zara wondered if Breha would even tell her.

The handmaiden led the queen to a chair and they sat down together. "You seemed so much better earlier." When she saw her just hours ago, the queen actually appeared happy. There was a genuine smile on her face that Zara had not seen in so very long.

That smile was long gone. "I saw a glimmer of hope."

"What was it?"

Breha shook her head, "It's nothing."

"My Queen, you can tell me."

Breha did not speak for several moments; it appeared she was working something out in her head. Finally, she responded, "I'm just out of my depth."

"What is it?" Zara asked. "Let me help you."

The queen stood and walked to the window, "I found a message from Bail."

The handmaiden quickly joined her mistress, "You did, that's incredible! Where did you find it?"

"Hidden in that hideous statue that art dealer brought."

She remembered that piece very well. "Oh my, the Senator was right."

Breha nodded, "Yes, I lost faith in him; and that may have cost me Leia."

"What do you mean?"

The queen pulled out a small datapad from her pocket and handed it to Zara. "There is someone that may be able to help her; but I may have waited too long."

"Who is he? Let's contact him!" The handmaiden now understood the reason for the queen's earlier mood, but she still did not know what caused her odd behavior since then.

"Bail left instructions on how to contact this man, but they are rather complex and I cannot do it alone."

Zara glanced through the instructions; she could see why the queen felt out of her depth. "I will help you. When I trained, one of the subjects covered was electronics."

"If you help me and Malix finds out..."

She knew the danger, the governor already hated her and something like this would definitely be cause in his mind for her execution. "Malix won't find out," vowed the handmaiden.

"Zara, if I weren't so desperate, I wouldn't have even told you. It's my last chance. If this doesn't work...I don't think I'll be able to bear it."

"We must get hold of this man then." Zara did not want to think about what Breha would do if they could not contact him. "If Senator Organa believed in him, then he must be trustworthy."

"I know; I'm sorry to bring you into this."

"My Queen, I'm already committed. Let's send that message."

* * *

Lissa Malix had feared this moment ever since she first learned she was to go to Alderaan. She toyed with the idea of avoiding it altogether, but her conscience would not allow it. The woman was torn by her fear of her brother's reaction and her deep concerns. She had to know what his plans were, and she could no longer afford to delay. 

Getting into the wing of the palace that was set aside for Malix and the other Imperial staffers was easier than she thought. Apparently, the guards had been told that she was to be allowed entry. When she arrived at his office, she found her brother sitting at his desk working intently on some project.

When he saw her, he met her with a warm smile. "Lissa, such a wonderful surprise!" He exclaimed as he got up to greet her.

Lissa was relieved that he appeared to be in a good mood, but she knew that could change very quickly. She had to proceed with caution. "I hope I'm not intruding; I know you are busy."

"I am never too busy for you. Come in."

She loved it when he was like this: happy and content. In those times she was reminded of the boy that she once knew. However, no matter how much she wanted to sometimes, Lissa could never forget what he was capable of.

Instead of taking the chair offered, she immediately went to the large window that overlook one of the palace gardens. "Such a magnificent view."

Fius came over to stand next to his sister, "Isn't it, that's why I chose this room. You can see for kilometers with nothing obstructing the view."

"Alderaan is truly a gem." The planet was one of the most magnificent worlds that she had ever seen. She understood why her brother raved over it.

"I'm glad you think so," said Malix. "I want you and Nora to be happy here."

An icy hand gripped Lissa's heart. To most, Fius' words would be considered kind and loving, and his own way, they were. However, she was well aware of the implications. "It is a great place to _visit_." She stressed the last word in the hope that he would understand that she did not want to live here, but she suspected it would do no good.

"I've been meaning to speak with you about that. I want you to stay here permanently."

Lissa sighed, "Fius, I already have a home on Coruscant."

Malix scoffed, "A residence maybe, but not a home." He then gestured toward the view before them. "Alderaan is a place of new beginnings for our family."

"I have a career."

Fius shook his head, "You have a job to keep you busy; it isn't like you need the credits."

"It is important to me." He was partially correct, neither of the remaining Malix siblings needed to work to support themselves. Their father's investments were off-planet and they survived the destruction of Luskan.

Her brother regarded her with a pitying expression, "I know that you believe so, but you can do so much more here."

"What would you have me do?"

He then broke turned away from the window and sat down at his desk. "You can help me, be one of my advisors."

Lissa seated herself in the chair in front of him. "Fius, let's be honest, you would give me busy work so I wouldn't feel useless. You don't want me advising you on anything."

"I value your opinion," Fius declared.

"Really?" She knew from experience that her brother only valued the opinion of those that agreed with him. "Well then, since I'm your new advisor, let me give you some advice: tread lightly around Breha Organa."

After the words left her mouth, Lissa immediately wanted to take them back. She was upset and careless; this was not the way she wanted to approach this very delicate subject.

The change is Fius' demeanor was instantaneous. "What?" His features immediately hardened into a mask of anger and outrage.

Even though she wished she had not said it that way, Lissa knew she was now committed. She decided to proceed and take the consequences as they came. "You heard me, I'm telling you this because I love you. I've seen the way you look at her, and I've seen the way she looks at you."

"I love her and she will love me!"

She noted his choice of words, he did not say that she already loved him. It was different than before. "Fius, she is terrified of you; and I don't really blame her."

In agitation, Malix ran his hands through his short hair. "She only fears her own feelings. She believes that loving me is a betrayal to her dead husband; so she buries her feelings. Soon, she will not and we will be happy together, forever."

While some of the verbiage was different, his demeanor was all too familiar. "Years ago you said the same about Larie."

Fius' agitation was instantly gone; in its place was cold rage. "I thought I told you to never speak that name again." He demanded in a voice barely above a whisper.

Lissa continued. "You said she was the love of your life."

Malix slammed his hand on the desk and the room reverberate with the sound. "She betrayed me!"

She shook her head as the few tears that she could no longer contain fell down her cheek. "She broke off the relationship with you; that was her only crime."

"I would have given her anything had she asked, but she decided to make a fool out of me!"

"She was only sixteen, Fius." Lissa had met the girl once on a visit to Fius' prepatory academy. Unlike the other students in the academy, she was from a middle-class Corellian family that had no political influence. In a gesture of goodwill, the school awarded scholarships to a few exceptional young people who would not have been able to afford the tuition otherwise.

"I don't want to talk about her."

"Is the queen going to end up like she did?" Like Breha, Larie was the object of her brother's obsession. They even dated for several months, but for reasons that Lissa could very well imagine, she broke it off. Fius never forgave her for that slight.

He shook his head emphatically, "Breha is much smarter than...that girl."

"You can't even say her name, can you?"

"This is irrelevant."

As the memories that she had tried so hard to forget began flooding back, all of Lissa's tightly held emotional control vanished. "No, it isn't. Fius, you killed her because she refused to be controlled by you!"

She could barely breathe as she remembered reading the report of the law enforcement officials that found Larie's raped, battered, and almost unrecognizable corpse in the lake near the campus of the prepatory academy.

When it first happened, she did not want to believe her brother could do something like that, but the evidence was clear. There were several witnesses that heard him brag about the murder and there was literally a trail of blood from his dormitory to the shore of the lake. Had the case went to trial, it would have been open and shut.

"I ask you again, is that going to be Breha Organa's end?" Lissa implored.

Malix leaned back in his chair and gave a slight smirk, "I don't recall ever being convicted of any crime."

"Don't insult me Fius!" She shouted, "You know the reason why there was no conviction." Her father's vast reserve of credits made it possible for his son to avoid going before any judge. The middle-class status of Larie's family made certain that their demand for justice would be ignored by the corrupt officials of the latter Republic.

"We are not talking about this anymore."

"Was Larie the only one, or has there been others? Were there other women that did not survive being your obsession?"

"Stop talking!" He shouted as he stood and raised up a fist.

"Or what? You'll beat me to death too? I am not yours to command."

In Lissa's experience a challenge such as that would be met by her brother in one of two ways, he would either lash out with physical violence or he would show even more cruelty without touching laying a finger on her.

Malix chose the latter. He calmly sat back down at his desk. "I disagree, I am the head of our family, and Imperial Governor of the planet on which you are residing."

"So I'm residing here now?"

Fius nodded, "Yes, I finished the paperwork two days ago, you and Nora are now legal residents of Alderaan."

She wished that she could be surprised, but she was not. "Keep me hostage as long as you like; but please leave my daughter out of this." She wanted Nora as far away from him as possible.

With the mention of Lissa's daughter, Malix's face twisted into a cruel smile. "I am in the process of securing a suitable match for her. In a year, when she is of legal age, she will marry."

She felt sick. Arranged marriages were common in Luskanian elite families such as the one she grew up in and also within the class of the Coruscanti hyper-rich, but Lissa did not want to fathom the kind of match her twisted brother would arrange for Nora just to get back at her. "Do I want to know who you are selling my daughter to?"

"Moff Pre'Lot has a son just a few years older than she. The match will benefit our family greatly."

In the little time that she had known Governor Pre'Lot, Lissa already despised the man. He was a tyrannical and violent dictator of the planet he had been appointed to rule. She could not imagine his son being any better. "And you expect Nora to just go along with it? You expect me to as well?"

"What I say is law, she will have no choice in the matter." He informed her with a smug smile. "However, I believe a reasonable compromise can be made."

She then realized that this was his intent all along; Fius knew this was the only way that she would cooperate with him. "What do you want?"

"First, you are to apologize to me for bringing up topics that I had expressly forbade you from mentioning."

He stood up and made his way to where his sister was sitting. Placing his hand on her shoulder, Malix continued, "Second, you are to stay on Alderaan and support me and my efforts here. I do not want to hear Nora or especially Breha mentioning anything about what may or may not be in my past. In return, I will tell Moff Pre'Lot that the match between Nora and his son will not be possible."

"Just when I think you cannot sink any lower, you blackmail me with the happiness of my child. What happened to you, Fius?" She implored. "You weren't raised like this."

The grip on her shoulder tightened, "Statements like that will not be tolerated."

Lissa hung her head in defeat. "I won't tell them."

"Now apologize."

"I'm sorry Fius, I shouldn't have brought it up. I will not do so again." The words were difficult to utter, but she could not risk her daughter.

With a broad grin, Malix sat back down at his desk and acted as if the last few minutes had never occurred. "Very good Lissa, I do have much to do. I think it's best if you run along. I will see you and Nora tonight, we're having dinner with just the queen. She'll be your sister-in-law eventually, and I want the two of you to be close."

"Yes Fius."

* * *

Vader was assigned the suite adjacent to his daughter's as a training and meditation space. The Imperial Palace was literally soaked in the dark side, and while the Sith did not want to be here, he was not against utilizing it to renew his strength and connection to the Force. 

He had not been in meditation long before he heard the screams of his daughter. In truth, he did not need to hear them to know of her terror; though the Force she called out in desperation. Her father answered.

Thinking that she was being attacked, Vader immediately activated his lightsaber and ran toward Leia's suite all while planning the slow execution of anyone who would dare touch his daughter. His mind raced with the possibilities: an assassin, an Imperial malcontent...Darth Sidious himself.

The locked door was not even a minor annoyance. With a slight flick of his wrist, and a powerful wave of the Force, Vader obliterated the obstacle in his path and rushed to Leia's bedroom.

When he arrived, he did not find what he expected. Instead, he saw Leia thrashing about in her bed, locked in a nightmare that she could not escape. After de-activating his lightsaber, he came up to where the terrified child was sleeping, placed his artificial hand on her shoulder and shook slightly. "Wake up Leia."

Immediately, the child's tear filled eyes opened. Even though she was awake, her mind still had not yet processed that fact. When she saw her father, she cried out to him, "He's going to kill me! Help me father!"

"Hush child, you were merely sleeping."

Leia began sobbing even more, "Please don't let him hurt me."

Vader was at a loss as to what to do, something that he despised. If it were an actual attacker that was trying to harm his child, there would be no doubt as to what he would do; but now he felt completely out of his depth.

As he was considering his options, Leia did something that she probably would never have done if she were fully awake. She grasped onto his armor and embraced the Dark Lord of the Sith.

He could not remember the last time someone had hugged him. He knew the last person was most likely his wife, but those memories were hard to grasp. Vader was torn between unwanted feelings and his true desire to do something to help his child.

It had been a long time since he had thought about how to bring comfort to anyone, it was an unfamiliar and very uncomfortable situation that he had been placed in. He knew what he could do to help her, but he had sworn himself against all forms of Jedi teaching.

However, he could not bear to see Leia so afraid. Vader closed his eyes and accessed a part of his being that had been locked away for a long time. With a calmness of mind that he could hardly believe that was possible again, he reached out to his troubled daughter and sent waves of peace and comfort directly into her mind.

Not surprising to Vader, the Dark Side only relented for a few seconds before the moment of clarity was over. _Peace is a lie, there is only passion._

It was enough at least to at least stop Leia from crying, but she still clung to her father as if he were a lifeline in a dark and turbulent sea. Vader felt that he should say something, "My daughter, are you all right?"

Leia finally let go of him, "Why are you here?"

"You were distressed; I believed you were being attacked."

"I'm sorry," the girl seemed incredibly embarrassed.

"Do not apologize," said Vader. "What were you dreaming about?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Vader was reminded of his own nightmares of his mother and his wife. "Sometimes dreams are much more than they seem; it could have been a premonition."

Leia sat in the middle of her bed and drew her knees to her chest, "It's nothing, it was just a dream."

"Tell me," Vader demanded.

"I was in a room, hiding behind a chair," Leia began. "I wasn't alone, there were other kids with me. We were all hiding together. It was so loud, and it kept getting louder."

The Sith turned away from the girl and stared out the window. He could see the massive city in all its finery, but for the first time Vader noticed something in the distance. One of Leia's bedroom windows looked out to the Jedi Temple; the spires of the abandoned empty building could clearly be seen in the distance. It was no coincidence that his daughter had been given this suite.

For the first time in over eight years, Darth Vader felt cold. "Continue," he ordered.

"The door opened and I saw a man come though. I didn't know who he was, but the other kids trusted him," She recounted with increasing emotion as the memories returned.

It was all he could do to suppress a shiver. Vader still did not turn around, instead he focused on the sight before him. He did not have to hear any more, he knew what happened but he could not find the resolve to tell Leia to stop.

"One of them said his name, but I don't remember what it was."

_"Master Skywalker, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?"_ He had done the right thing, the Jedi were traitors and it was dangerous to leave any of them alive; even the younglings. However, hearing the story recounted by his eight-year-old daughter brought up feelings...dangerous feelings.

Leia was not oblivious to her father's unease, but she had been given an order. "He had a lightsaber." Her breathing became erratic as she recalled her experience. "He...he started killing us. We ran and screamed, but no one was there to help us."

Vader then turned back to face his daughter. As expected, her face was streaked with tears and her hands were shaking. Part of him wanted to silence her, another part wanted to escape the room, and a tiny but growing part of his being wanted to embrace the child.

"I called out to you, but you weren't there." Sobs racked the child's small frame and she held onto her knees even tighter. "I didn't know where you were. If you were there, you would have stopped him."

"How did it end?" In hindsight, Vader wondered why he even asked that question; he already knew the answer.

"His lightsaber was raised above me, and he was about to strike. Then I woke up."

Of all of the things that he had done in the service to his master, the killing of the Jedi younglings was the last thing he wanted Leia to know about, let alone experience. He was torn between competing emotions, one of them was unfamiliar the other was very familiar. Vader chose to focus on the easiest...rage.

He did not have to probe Leia's mind to know who planted that dream inside her head. He knew if he looked hard enough, he could find his master's footprints all over his child's mind. Vader was angry and desired nothing but his death. However, the one vestige of rational thought he had left told him that there was nothing that he could do. Darth Sidious was far too powerful.

As Vader considered his few options, he felt Leia begin to use a Sith meditation technique to convert her fear into power. He had taught it to her many months back; but for reasons that he could not full grasp, he did not want her to use what she had learned--at least not tonight.

"That will not be necessary," Vader stated in reference to her meditation. "Go back to sleep."

Leia opened her eyes, "I don't understand."

"There is no time for that, you need to sleep."

"But what if the dream returns?" she implored.

"I do not believe it will." Vader suspected that Sidious had gotten everything he wanted.

"Will you..." Leia trailed off before looking away from her father.

"What is it?"

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep? I don't want to be alone."

He did not want to coddle the child. She would need to learn to conquer her fears; but as he stared into the eyes that so reminded him of her mother, Vader could not bear to leave her. "I will stay with you."


	22. Chapter 22

_**Chapter 22:**_

Ever since he was a child, Bade Nilor had always wanted to live in _500 Republica_. As a boy, when his family visited the capital, he would stare at the massive structure that housed the Republic's elite with awe. While his own family was rich, at least according to Naboo standards, their wealth was not even a tenth of what most residents of _500 Republica_ possessed.

As a boy of ten, he promised himself that he would live there one day, and he spent his entire life working toward that goal. Now, as a man of sixty-seven, his speeder approached the same building; but it was different this time. Before, he was a boy with big dreams; now his dreams had come to pass. He was now a resident of _500 Republica_.

Among other things, the large apartment was one of the things that made Bade Nilor take the job as Leia Vader's tutor. Because his position required traveling with his student, he had not even seen the residence; but his wife happily reported that it was far more opulent than she had ever dreamed of.

He docked his speeder near the veranda but did not get out immediately. Instead, he stared at his prize. Bade supposed that it would be considered beautiful to most, especially his wife; but something inside him could not appreciate it. Instead of making him feel proud for all that he accomplished, it had the opposite effect.

He wondered now, if he knew what his position truly entailed, would he have agreed to it. Would he have taken the job as Leia Vader's tutor if he knew his job included aiding in the corruption of an innocent child?

As much as he liked to tell himself that he was only the girl's teacher, he could not make himself believe it. He had been given orders to drive a wedge between Lord Vader and his daughter and report on the child's process. He had done well--well enough for the Emperor to increase his salary.

Bade knew that the Emperor wanted the child for some reason; and speculation over that reason had driven the man to drink far more than he used to. He knew what the Emperor planned for the child would come to pass. When he wanted something to happen, his former schoolmate would not stop until he achieved it.

Leia Vader's fate was sealed, and there was nothing he could do about it. Still, he could not help but be sickened by the sight of the payment that he had been given for being a willing participant in the girl's eventual destruction.

It was at that moment that his wife came out onto the veranda. "Bade, you're home!"

He got out of the speeder and ran to embrace her, "The _Devastator_ was called back to the capital, I had some time."

"It's been so long."

"I know, my dear, I've missed you so much." At sixty-two, Ayumi Nilor was just as beautiful to him as she was the first time he laid eyes on her. If anything, time had enhanced her beauty.

"How long do you have?"

"I'll have to return to the palace tommorow afternoon."

Ayumi looked at him with surprise mixed with a hint of disappointment. "You are staying in the Imperial Palace?"

Bade shook him head, "It is where Miss Vader is lodging, not me."

"What is it like?"

"I never went inside." Even if he had the opportunity to stay there during their visit to the capital, Bade knew that he would never be able to sleep comfortably in the home of the Emperor. He was relieved when he was told his services would not be necessary during their visit to Imperial Center.

Ayumi grinned and kissed her husband, "I am so happy you are home."

"Me too, how have you been?"

"Very well," she answered as they walked inside. "Lel brought the twins over this morning."

"And you spoiled them shamelessly?" He asked with mock seriousness.

She responded in kind, "Of course."

"Good, I'm glad to know you're still doing your duty even in my absence."

She laughed, "I can never spoil them as well as you, but I do my best."

"That's all I ask."

"I hate that I missed them." As the pair continued walking through the massive residence to what Bade assumed was the kitchen, he tried to forget the true cost of his luxurious surroundings.

"I'm sure she can bring them over tonight. I know those girls will want to hear Leia Vader tales."

Bade sighed, he should have known this would come up. "Ayumi, I cannot tell them much I am under an Imperial gag order."

"I know, but you could at least tell them about the places you've been, those girls idolize your student."

"I know." He did not want to be reminded.

Oblivious to her husband's discomfort, Ayumi continued, "I do want you to be prepared; they are going to ask you to allow them to meet her. I know you probably cannot arrange anything, but I wanted you to not be surprised when they ask."

Bade shook his head emphatically, "It will not be possible. I have absolutely no influence over her schedule." He then paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. "Besides, meeting Miss Vader would involve them being in the presence of her father, and that is something that I will never willingly allow."

For the first time since he had arrived, his wife's smile vanished. "Is he as bad as the stories portray?"

"Worse."

Ayumi sat down beside her husband, "I trust the Emperor's wisdom, but I always wondered why he would employ a man such as Vader."

He wondered if she truly wanted to know. She had been one of the staunchest supporters of Palpatine. Bade carefully weighed the risks of speaking his mind; even saying such things in front of his wife could have repercussions. He finally could not hold it in any longer. "It's simple; it's the carrot and the stick."

"What do you mean?"

"When you are training Shaaks, the carrot is used to entice the beast to go where you want it to go. If that doesn't work, you hit the animal with a stick."

Ayumi frowned, "So, the Emperor is the carrot, Vader is the stick, and the galaxy is made up of a bunch of Shaaks?"

Bade could not help but chuckle. His wife had unknowingly uttered the most concise, and accurate, summary of the current state of the galaxy that he had ever heard. "Precisely."

"That's a very cynical analogy."

He smiled bitterly, "These are cynical times." His smile disappeared when he saw the look of disbelief and confusion on his wife's face. He knew immediately that he had said far too much.

"I don't understand; you are one of the Emperor's most trusted friends. All of this wouldn't be possible if it weren't for him."

Bade reached out to take Ayumi's hand in his. "My dear, the Emperor doesn't have friends; he never did."

She stood immediately and began to pace the kitchen, "I think you're tired and need to rest. You are not thinking clearly. You and he go way back. For goodness sake, you went to University together; he was your sword bearer at our wedding!"

He raised his hand to stop her chattering, "I know that, but you don't see what I see."

"Bade, stop talking like this!" She demanded.

At that point he knew that he could never again speak his doubts regarding the Emperor to his wife. She was far too enamored by him and his government. Bade loved her with everything in him, but some things he would have to keep secret. "I'm sorry, I'm just tired."

Ayumi was visibly relieved by his apology. "I didn't mean to snap at you. Do you want something to eat?"

"That would be wonderful. I've missed your cooking."

As Ayumi prepared dinner, the couple chatted amicably about current events in their family. After a few minutes, the topic of conversation came to his student, much to Bade's annoyance.

"It is good that the children of the Empire have such a good role model in Leia Vader. Because of her, I've heard that kids from all over are getting more interested in civics," she reported. "Lel's girls have even joined COMPNOR's Sub-Adult group."

Bade suddenly felt sick, the idea of his grandchildren being at all involved in COMPNOR was very disconcerting, "Lel allowed this?"

Ayumi nodded, "Of course, the twins wanted to serve the Empire."

"They are nine; they should be concerned with their school work only and not the Empire." He wanted to say more, but he stopped himself before he blurted out something that might be used against him.

"They are the future of the Empire."

"I didn't even think the SAGroup allowed females."

"It is a splinter group, separate from the boys. It was formed after Miss Vader began her public appearances." She stopped for a moment, "Are you all right? You look pale."

Bade took a deep breath. "I'm fine, I'm just surprised."

"When they come over tonight, they'll tell you all about it."

"I'm looking forward to it." It was not the first lie he told his wife today.

* * *

Leia awoke to an empty room. She knew, however, that she had not been alone for long. Ever since her nightmare four nights ago, her father had come in various times during the night to watch over her. Even though it was only the first night she explicitly asked him to stay with her.

After breakfast, the droid that helped her in the morning came with a summons for her from the Emperor. She was scheduled to meet him that afternoon.

Leia was immediately nervous. She had not seen him since the first day she arrived on Imperial Center. He was very kind to her, but something about him made her wary of the man. After her private audience with Sidious, her father had warned her repeatedly that the Emperor was to be respected, but never trusted.

Hours later, with these things in mind, Leia was escorted by red-robed Imperial Guards to a room in the palace that she had never seen. The door opened immediately when she arrived. Unlike what he did with Vader, Lord Sidious did not make her wait.

She walked in the room to find the Emperor sitting at a table preparing to dine. He looked up in her direction and grinned, "My dear, thank you for coming."

"You're welcome. We're going to have lunch?" Leia could not hide her surprise. The room she was in was different than any other room in the palace that she had seen. Unlike the rest of the palace, this room did not seem designed to intimidate. She then realized that she was in the Emperor's private dining hall.

He nodded to a servant that was stationed near the table, and a chair was pulled out for her. The Emperor motioned for Leia to sit down. "Yes, is that strange?"

"Can I be honest?"

Sidious smiled, "Of course, I expect nothing but honesty from you."

"It is a little strange; I've never seen you outside of the throne room."

The old man laughed, "My child, do you think that I sleep in there?"

Leia shrugged, "I guess not."

"It's a common reaction," began the Emperor. "I'm afraid that my image is one of a shrouded wraith that haunts the Imperial Palace. Ever since I was scarred, most children find me a frightening sight."

"You didn't always look this way?" It was something that Leia could barely imagine.

"Of course not."

"What happened?" After the question was uttered, she immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't pry into your personal affairs."

"It's all right, my dear, it is no secret. You have heard of the Jedi?"

Leia nodded, "Yes, a little bit, they were enemies of the state."

"Over the last several generations of the old Republic, they were given more and more power by the Senate. They were seen as guardians of peace and justice." The Emperor stopped as waves of emotion crossed his face. "Oh how we were fooled."

"How did they fool you?" She could not understand, a Sith Master was supposed to be able to see into to thoughts and intentions of those around them.

"I grew up admiring them, as all children of the Republic did. That is why, when the Clone War broke out, I as the Supreme Chancellor gave them the authority to conduct the war."

Leia shook her head, "I don't understand, you are a Sith Lord, the Jedi were the Sith's greatest enemy. Why did you allow them so much power?"

"The Sith were declared an enemy by the Jedi, but the Sith never declared the Jedi their enemy," Sidious explained. "The two orders had different points of view; and in ancient times, the Jedi could not abide another view of the Force...so they hunted us to near extinction."

The Emperor continued, "When I took the mantle as Sith Master, I had hoped that the Jedi had changed and the two orders could co-exist in peace. I really wanted it to be so."

"You said that you admired them."

"One can disagree with another's point of view, yet still admire them. I admired their skills in battle, and their bravery."

"They did not know you were a Sith?" Leia could hardly believe that the Emperor was being so open with her. She was used to stubborn silence from her father when she asked him certain questions.

Sidious shook his head, "No, after the war began, I saw first hand that all the Jedi cared about was keeping their power. It was such a shame, with the two orders working together, the galaxy could have prospered like never before in its history."

"But the Jedi eventually found out, and they attacked you? That is what happened to your face?" It had been a long time since she had been around someone so forthcoming. Her previous fears of the Emperor seemed to fade with each passing moment.

"Four of them came into my office and demanded that I step down as Supreme Chancellor. When I refused, they attacked me."

"How did you survive?"

Sidious laughed, "I am a Sith Lord, my dear; they did not expect that I too possessed a lightsaber."

"You fought four of them?" Leia knew that the Jedi had to be formidable opponents since they hunted the Sith to near extinction in ancient times; so it was hard for her to imagine the elderly Emperor being able to fight off so many of them.

"I killed three of them, but the last one was very difficult. He got me cornered and was about to strike when..."

"When what?" Leia asked with excitement.

"When your father saved me."

"My father?"

"Yes, did he ever tell you that he was once a Jedi?"

"No." This was the last thing she ever expected to learn about her father.

"He was, but he was not like the rest of them. He saw through their lies. He came in just as I was about to be killed. He defended me, and I rewarded him by making him my apprentice."

After the story was over, Leia and the Emperor focused on their meal for a few moments. As she ate, the girl's mind was filled with questions--questions she hoped the Sith Lord could answer.

"Master?"

"Yes, my dear."

"Why does my father have to wear that suit?"

Sidious regarded Leia for a few moments before answering. "He never told you?"

She shook her head, "Not really."

"Since it involves him, I cannot tell you; he must."

All the hope that this man would tell her all the answers she sought were instantly dashed. "He won't tell me."

"Have you ever asked?"

Leia nodded, "Yes, he said he was badly burned but I know there's more to it."

The Emperor grinned, "There is."

The girl's annoyance instantly spiked, "But you won't tell me?"

Still smiling, he shook his head, "No."

Leia stared at the man for a few moments. She could not believe what was happening. "You are trying to make me angry." It was the only thing that could explain the Emperor's sudden smug reticence.

"Yes," he admitted unapologetically.

"Why?"

"You are powerful when you are angry; at least that is what I've heard. I wanted to see for myself."

This was not the direction that Leia wanted this conversation to take. "Professor Nilor told you what happened."

Sidious nodded, "Yes, he did, and Lord E'besk was also quite willing to share what happened on Kuat."

"I'm sorry."

His reaction was that of amusement instead of the anger that she feared. "Don't be, child; but I would ask you to at least attempt to refrain from killing those important to my government. If you want to take you anger out on Bade Nilor, by all means; he is no one important. Your father certainly won't stop you."

The very thought of harming her kindly teacher was repugnant. Of all the people on the _Devastator_, he was the only one she could count on to be a friend to her. "I would never do that!"

"That is not what I have heard."

"Please, I don't want to talk about that." Leia wanted to run away, but she suspected the Imperial Guard would stop her.

"Yes you do," the Emperor countered gently. "You experienced something powerful and completely out of your control. You had questions but your father would not answer them."

"No, he told me the matter was closed and that we shouldn't speak any more about it."

The Emperor sighed, "I suppose it isn't your father's fault; these things are difficult for him."

"I like Professor Nilor," she explained. "I really do. He's nice to me. I don't know what came over me."

"You are very powerful Leia. When one is learning how to use the Force, it is common for some to temporarily lose control--especially a child."

The voice in the back of her mind that warned her about the Emperor was quiet. Her father's stern warnings to not trust him were forgotten as well. For the first time in a long time she had someone to share her feelings with; it felt good to have someone who would listen to her. "It was horrible."

"No it wasn't, while you may have been frightened, you enjoyed the power."

Leia shook her head, "I didn't!"

Sidious then reached out across the table gently and patted Leia's hand, "Oh child, lie to yourself and your father as much as you like, but you cannot hide anything from me. While you may have regretted attacking Bade Nilor, that was not the case with Lord E'besk."

"No," she admitted.

"You enjoyed the power you wielded over that man."

Leia could no longer hold in the feelings that she had tried to suppress in the name of keeping peace with her father. "He just wouldn't shut up! I got so mad that I wanted to..."

Leia trailed off, but Sidious finished her thought. "Silence him forever,"

"No." Leia disliked Lord E'besk greatly, but she did not want to kill him, at least she did not think she did.

"Then why did you strangle him?"

"I don't know, I though it would make him quiet."

The Emperor chuckled, "It worked; I hear he had to have surgery on his throat."

'I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize, you did nothing wrong. You only reacted as you were taught, and violence can be very useful at times. That being said, in my experience, more subtle forms of persuasion are much more effective in achieving one's goals."

Leia was not certain of the Emperor's meaning, "I don't have any goals."

"But you have desires. To achieve your desires, you must set goals. Then, manipulate the ones around you as you would the pieces of a dejarik board; make them bring about your plans," Sidious explained patiently.

Leia shook her head, "I'm just a kid."

"When I was your age, I had already decided that I would rule the galaxy. I spent my entire life achieving that goal."

Before Leia had a chance to respond to the Emperor's confession, he continued. "The Force is indescribable. The power it gives you when you wield it is intoxicating, especially its more violent displays, as you are very much aware. However, it is when you are manipulating the beings and events in your life to your advantage, that is where the Force's true power lies."

"I never learned anything like that from my father." In her training she received from Vader, Leia had never been exposed to anything like what she was hearing from the Sith Master.

He frowned, "Vader has not taught you even the most basic of Force persuasion?"

"No."

"I must admit, I am a little surprised. I need to speak with him about that. There is no reason he should fear teaching you these things."

"Why would he fear teaching me something?" The idea seemed foolish to the girl; Vader had been obsessed with teaching her the ways of the Force since she had been in his custody.

"Vader has always been wary of betrayal. I imagine he is afraid that if he teaches you everything he knows, that you will someday kill him."

"Why would I do that?" While she and her father had their difficulties, he was all she had. Besides, he was much more powerful than her.

"Because it is what he wants to do to me."

"He wants to kill you?" Leia felt disoriented by this new information. In all her time with her father, he had not said anything of the sort.

Lord Sidious seemed to sense her confusion. He explained further, "All Sith apprentices want to take their master's place. That is why he is training you to use the Force, to help him when he feels you are ready."

"He is only teaching me the ways of the Force because he wants to kill you?" Implicit in her question was the unspoken one: _Is that the only reason he wants me?_

All traces of the Emperor's previous amusement and joviality was gone. He regarded her with what almost appeared to be compassion, "I won't say that is the only reason, but it is the main one."

"He's using me." That confession opened Leia's emotional floodgates. She no longer cared about appearing confident and grown up before the Emperor, she began to cry. She wanted to deny it, but she could feel that it was the truth.

Sidious looked on for a few moments before speaking, "I'm sorry child, I did not intend to hurt you; but you needed to be aware. However, I believe, in his own way, he does care for you."

"I don't think he cares for anyone," Leia declared.

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up; please forgive me."

Leia wiped her eyes and tried to once again appear brave, "It's not your fault."

"You deserve much more."

"But he's all I have."

"You have me for a friend; I hope that is worth something."

Leia looked into the eyes of the only man that her father feared. For the first time, she did not see the scarred visage, but instead she saw compassion. "It is."

* * *

Obi-Wan watched as his student headed toward the fireplace for the fourth time that evening, "Luke, please don't stoke the fire any more. Your poor old master is baking."

The boy turned to him, "I'm sorry, I just can't get warm. It's freezing in here."

The Jedi laughed, "Take the boy off Tatooine, but it's impossible to take Tatooine from the boy."

Luke sat down on the floor and played with Siri for a while. After a few minutes, he looked up to Obi-Wan. "It's probably sandstorm season by now."

He nodded, "You're right, it is." The Jedi had never been more thrilled to leave a planet than he had been leaving Tatooine. In his opinion, the sandstorms were the worst aspect of desert life--even worse than the oppressive heat.

Luke smiled wistfully, "The sandstorms were so dangerous that we would sometimes be stuck in the house for days. Aunt Beru would cook our favorite stew and Uncle Owen would tell us stories."

Obi-Wan joined Luke and Siri on the floor. "You miss them."

The boy nodded, "Yes, I know I shouldn't--I know I have to let go; but I still think of them."

For the most part, Anakin's son did not inherit his father's seemingly endless emotional turmoil. However, in this moment, Obi-Wan could clearly see Anakin's reflection in the boy's eyes.

The Jedi knew that he had made many mistakes with his former student, one of them being not validating Anakin's feelings and letting him grieve properly for the loss of his mother. He could not do the same to Luke. "Do not apologize. You will always think of them--always miss them."

"Why did they have to die?"

It was a question that Obi-Wan had asked himself many times in his life--from Qui-Gon's loss to the destruction of the Jedi Order. He was not certain how to answer, so he defaulted to what he was taught in the crèche as a youngling. "Death is a part of life, one cannot exist without the other."

Luke closed his eyes as he warred with his own emotions, "It's not fair."

"I know, it isn't fair. I really wish it did not happen that way." Anakin himself had declared that very same thing on many occasions. For the most part, it was just the whining of a teenage boy, but sometimes it was much deeper than that. Early in his former student's training, he had declared how unfair it was for his mother to still be a slave while the Jedi did nothing to help her.

Luke played with the baby for a few more minutes before returning his attention to Obi-Wan. "Master, was it the will of the Force that they were killed?"

"I do not claim to know that." He had considered that notion several times. It did seem convenient that Luke would be orphaned at the exact time that Obi-Wan needed to take him for training. The Jedi knew enough about Owen Lars to know that the man would fight to keep Luke from being taken away.

The thought of the Force arranging for the death of the boy's aunt and uncle implied something very sinister; and it was only in the darkest of nights did the Jedi consider such things. "I wish I knew the answer."

A high pitched electronic tone interrupted Obi-Wan's suddenly dark thoughts. It took him a few moments to realize what it was.

"What's that?" Asked Luke as he searched for the source of the sound.

"I'm receiving a message." He got up and opened a chest in which he had hidden his most precious belonging. It was Obi-Wan's only link to anyone from his life before exile. Him and Yoda had only communicated using the device once; only the most urgent messages could be transmitted. It was far too dangerous to risk contact for something trivial. When he saw the origin of the message, he was even more surprised.

He turned to his curious student, "Luke, take Siri and put her to bed; then you go to bed."

Luke frowned, "You don't want me to see the message."

"Please do what I say."

Reluctantly, the boy obeyed. "Yes Master."

When he was alone, Obi-Wan confirmed that the message was indeed from Alderaan. The only one there who knew the elaborate steps to reach his equipment was Bail Organa and he had been dead for over a year. Further investigation revealed that the message was not in real-time; it was only a recording.

Accepting the message was risky in many ways, and if this was a trap he knew he would be putting Luke and Siri in grave danger. However, his curiosity finally got the better of him. After pressing the _receive_ button, the holo-image of a woman appeared before him. He immediately recognized her. Obi-Wan had never met Queen Breha Organa personally, but she was a well-known figure in the Republic politics; and she was the wife of Bail Organa, one of the Jedi's friends in the Senate.

He then realized that Senator Organa had probably left his wife with instructions on how to contact him if something happens. Obi-Wan dreaded playing the message, but he owed it to his murdered friend to at least hear it. With a heavy heart he pressed _play_:

_"Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, I send this message in the faint hope that it somehow gets to you. The instructions that were left for me did not specify where you are, but that only it would reach your communication equipment."_

_"I know we have not met, but you did know my husband. I am Breha Organa, wife of the late Senator Bail Organa. I do not know how much in the way of news reaches you from wherever you are, but the Empire killed my husband many months ago. Darth Vader discovered our greatest secret and my husband was murdered for it."_

_"My daughter, the little girl that Bail and I vowed to keep safe was discovered to be Vader's biological child and he took her back. I know what kind of monster that he is, and I believe that you know this as well. I cannot bear to think what Leia is going through in the hands of that monster."_

_"Bail believed that you were the only one that could save my daughter from Vader. Please, with everything that is in me, I beg you to save Leia from that fate."_

_"If you find her, please take her into hiding; I do not care where. My husband trusted you, and because of that, I trust you. I know that I will probably never see her again; I will not be allowed to leave Alderaan. Nonetheless, I can bear almost anything the Empire throws at me if I know my Leia is safe."_

_"I was told once by Bail that the remaining Jedi believed her to be some kind of new hope for the galaxy after the fall of the Republic. I admit unapologetically that I do not care one bit about that; I just want Leia safe. However, if the fact that a little girl is in the hands of a murdering tyrant does not sway you, I only hope that this destiny of hers convinces you to act."_

_"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi; you are Leia's only hope."_


	23. Chapter 23

_**Chapter 23:**_

Of all the countless buildings that covered the surface of Imperial Center, there was not one Darth Vader loathed more than the massive structure that housed the Imperial Senate. The Jedi Temple itself did not provoke as much primal rage inside of him as this monstrosity.

He wondered if it was the fact that the Senate was the last bastion of the old Republic that would not die, or if it had to do with his dead wife. The Sith knew that if Padmé Amidala had not been a senator, she would not be dead. However, if she had never become a senator, he never would probably have married her and Leia would most certainly not exist.

Vader suspected his hatred of the Imperial Senate had to do with the fact that every time he laid his eyes upon it, he remembered her. He would recall Padmé's passion for justice and democracy. If he was not reminded of those beliefs that she held so dear, he could still pretend that his wife would have gone along with the Empire and happily ruled beside him.

If he did not have to look at that building, Vader could also pretend that his wife would have allowed him to train their little girl in the way of the Sith, had she lived to see it. Seeing the Senate made him face the fact that Padmé would have been appalled by the things he was teaching Leia and the life that he was leading her into.

If he was honest with himself, Lord Vader would have admitted that it was not the building that housed the Imperial Senate that he hated, but it was the realization that Padmé would have tried to leave him with or without Obi-Wan Kenobi's influence. However, Vader hated facing the cold hard truth, so he continued to despise a building.

He swore to himself that it would be the first thing destroyed after he becomes Emperor. Until then, he would have to tolerate a lot--from the Empire and from the one who currently ruled it.

His musings were interrupted by a stirring in the Force very close to him. He had felt this before; he knew exactly what he would see when he turned around. "Leave me now."

_"You know that I won't."_ The ghostly voice of Qui-Gon Jinn answered.

Vader did not turn around, "Why are you still bothering?" Ever since the first visit, the former Jedi master had appeared to him on various occasions, each time pleading with him to stop teaching Leia the ways of the dark side. At first, the Sith responded with anger, but over time he had become resigned to the fact that Qui-Gon Jinn wanted to spend his afterlife pestering him.

As usual, the Jedi ignored that question. _"Where is Leia?"_

Vader felt something constrict inside him at Qui-Gon's question, "She is with the Emperor." He did not want Leia anywhere near Lord Sidious, but right now, there was nothing he could do.

_"Why did you leave her alone with him?"_

"He is my master," he answered as if it should explain everything.

Qui-Gon came over to stand next to the Sith, _"You should know more than anyone just how manipulative he is."_ His voice was gentle, as always, but there was an urgency to it that was impossible to deny.

Vader turned to the blue-light bathed spirit beside him, "He demanded it." He could not deny that the Jedi was right; Leia spending any time in Sidious' presence, especially alone, was very dangerous.

_"Just how many of these meeting has she had with him?"_

"He sees her every afternoon. They have lunch together." At first, thought of his master influencing his daughter filled him with homicidal rage. During Leia's first meeting with the Emperor, four _Devastator_ crewmembers were choked to death and thrown down the ship's fusion reactor shaft...the day after it was three.

Since then, the blinding anger seemed to subside into resignation and helplessness. It did not matter how many crewmembers he killed, there was nothing he could do.

_"I'm sorry."_

The thing that Vader hated the most about Qui-Gon's visits was the fact that the former Jedi pitied him. He wanted the spirit to accuse and judge him for destroying the Jedi; that he could handle, pity and compassion were things he could not. "Leave me alone."

_"What are you going to do?"_

The Sith had to center himself momentarily before answering, "The _Devastator_ is going to be returning to the field soon. I will then have an opportunity to _correct_ any false information she may have been given."

Qui-Gon nodded, but continued to show little emotion, _"What kind of false information do you believe she has been given?"_

Vader turned to stare out the window. "I do not know, Leia does not speak about her time with the Emperor." The thing that bothered him the most about Leia's visits to his master was that she never spoke about what they discussed. If pressed, she would give minimalist responses but never volunteered any details. "As you said, I know what he is capable of."

_"Interesting, you admit that you were deceived by Lord Sidious, yet you are still devoted to his teachings; so much that you are forcing your daughter to accept them."_

If the machine that regulated his breathing would allow it, Darth Vader would have sighed in annoyance. "The dark side strengthens me, as it does her. We will rule together." As he uttered the same words that he had proclaimed many times before, they felt hollow somehow. For just a moment, Vader wondered if he was trying to convince the ghost or himself.

_"I wonder, will Leia eventually come to the same conclusions about you that you have about your own master?" _Asked Qui-Gon.

Vader sharply turned to the ghost, "I have never lied to her!"

He shook his head,_"From a certain point of view."_

The Sith had enough of this. "Leave me, now."

The Jedi appeared to not even be remotely fazed by Vader's anger. He continued to press,_"Are you still having the dreams?"_

"How did you know about that?"

Qui-Gon gave a mysterious smile, _"I am one with the Force."_

"Not enough for my liking."

_"Anakin, you can prevent your visions from becoming reality."_

"She is my daughter and I'm not giving her up!"

The Jedi shook his head, _"I never suggested such a thing, just stop teaching her the ways of the dark side. Let her be a child."_

"I have no choice, I must train her so she can help me destroy my master. She will never be safe until he is dead." Vader knew that even if he secreted her away somewhere, the Emperor would find her. As he saw it, the only chance for the both of them was to go along with his master's plans, for now.

For the first time, Qui-Gon's calm, otherworldly demeanor cracked slightly. _"She is your daughter, not a weapon."_

"If I don't train her as my master sees fit, he will train her himself," Explained the Sith. "If I refuse, he will kill me and Leia stays in Palpatine's hands. If I do what he commands, she will remain with me on my ship and I will be the one training her."

_"Anakin, I appreciate your dilemma, but are you certain your master is not training Leia now?"_

That possibility had most certainly occurred to Vader; so much in fact that it had been haunting his every thought, waking and sleeping. "We will be leaving soon; I will repair whatever damage has occurred."

_"I fear it is much too late for that."_

* * *

There were days when it was relatively easy being an operative for the rebellion. Some days Zara would wake up and go about her information gathering duties with a strong sense of purpose and confidence; but today was not one of those days. 

On days like this one, the handmaiden would remember the danger she was in and what would happen to her and those she cared about if she was discovered. She knew that the queen could honestly claim ignorance of Zara's affiliation and actions, and Malix might believe her; but the handmaiden's family would not fare so well. He regularly imprisoned and confiscated the land of family members of those who he declared traitors to the Empire.

The danger she was putting her family in was brought home to her recently when her mother contacted her after a group of Imperial officials, with a squadron of stormtroopers escorting, visited the tiny village near Alderaan's northern pole to 'census' the population. According to her mother, the men asked many questions about Zara and her work in the palace.

In that same conversation, her mother begged her again to resign her position and return home; it was a recurring theme every time she spoke with any member of her family. For what seemed like the hundredth time, Zara gently refused and told her mother that she could not leave.

No one in her family knew that she had given an oath to the rebellion and they had entrusted her to watch over the queen and gather what information she could about Malix's activities. Even if she were not part of the rebellion, she still would not be able to leave; she had pledged to help the queen and that was that she was going to do. Even though she had many fears, Zara tried to not let that get in the way of her mission.

Today, she was attempting to slice one of the less secure Imperial databases inside the palace from a terminal that was not far from the wing of the palace that Malix had long claimed as his. It was not nearly as dangerous as slicing the main database, but it was still very risky.

She had finally received word from her contact and was asked to dig up some financial information that could be used against Malix. The rebellion believed that the only way to get rid of this man was to make the Emperor believe that he was skimming credits from Imperial funds. Zara was not certain if any evidence existed, and could not shake the feeling that the rebellion had long given up on helping the queen as was only giving Zara busy work to keep her pacified. Still, the handmaiden would do as she was told in the hope that it would help her queen and the galaxy.

The corridors of the palace were relatively quiet. It was late afternoon and Malix's Imperial guests were preparing for this evening's festivities. In the weeks that there had been guests at the palace, there had been some kind of function every evening, and Zara was sick to death of it all. She could not wait until the Moffs and various other Imperial dignitaries left for their own planets. When Malix did not have an audience he needed to impress, he was a little less of a nightmare to be around.

Zara made her way quickly and silently toward the terminal near the Imperial wing of the palace. When she caught sight of the room where the terminal was located, she sighed in relief.

The moment she entered the room, however, her relief melted away. Before she knew it, she was face to face with Moff Terik. Running into this man would only have been worse if it had been Malix himself.

Instead of immediately demanding to know why she was there, like she expected, he greeted her with a bright smile. "Good afternoon, handmaiden."

This was not her first encounter with Moff Terik. Ever since he had arrived, he had made his attraction for her well-known. Zara had endured his comments and his leering eyes on many occasions. However, something seemed different about him on this day. The smile he was giving her now could almost be mistaken for sincere.

"Good afternoon Governor Terik." No matter what this governor's mood could be at the moment, it did not matter; Zara knew her life and mission was hanging on her ability to convince this man that her purpose in being here was entirely innocent.

"If you are on your way to Moff Malix's office, he is not there."

"I am not; I was running an errand for the queen." Zara racked her brain to come up with an errand that would require her to visit the Imperial wing of the palace alone. "The queen will be speaking to the Imperial Senate when she returns to Coruscant for Empire Day and she needed me to gather some information for her speech."

Terik nodded thoughtfully, "Ah yes, your governor has mentioned that he intends to visit the capital soon."

Zara bristled slightly at his usage of the phrase, _your governor_, but she did not let it show. "If you excuse me, I must pick up this information." She wanted to get away from this man; being in his presence alone was not a position she wanted to be faced with.

Terik motioned towards the terminal, "By all means."

The handmaiden's hopes that the governor would leave her alone were dashed when he remained in the room. With him watching, it was impossible for her to slice the system as she intended. Instead, she logged in using her name and downloaded a harmless file onto her datapad just to appear to be doing something.

When she finished, Zara looked up to see Terik still in the room, watching her with amusement. "Are you finished?" He asked.

"Yes, I must return to the queen."

"It's a good day for a walk, I'll escort you there." The tone of his voice made it clear that this was not a request. He held out his arm and Zara reluctantly took it. "Shall we?"

The pair walked in silence for a few minutes before Terik turned to her, "It is interesting, that terminal you were using, Moff Malix was just talking about it this morning."

"Really, how so?"

"He said that terminal was the only access point for one of the secondary Imperial databases," Terik explained. "He was convinced that it was not secure enough and slicers might be able to access certain information."

Zara prayed that this man could not hear her heart pounding. She had to focus just to remember to breathe. "Really?"

Terik nodded, "Yes, he was so concerned that he implemented additional security measures just hours ago." He then laughed, "I told him that it wasn't necessary; no one in this palace would even think about doing something as stupid as slicing from the inside; they would get caught immediately."

She wondered what this man was trying to do. Did he know what she was intending to do? If so, why did he not report her? Zara feared that he would next demand for something in return for his silence. "No one would do that."

"That's what I told him; but you know Malix, he sees traitors behind every corner."

Before she had a chance to respond, the subject of their conversation was seen walking toward them down the long corridor. "Moff Malix," Terik greeted him.

Malix's eyes were not on his colleague, but the handmaiden that was still on Terik's arm. "I see you've got yourself a prize."

Zara swallowed the bile that was rising in her throat at the governor's words. She was angry but she was more afraid that Malix's innuendo was correct. She turned her head to her escort and found him leering at her. Still, something about this entire situation seemed off somehow. The handmaiden noted that it was not until Malix arrived that the predatory demeanor that she had seen when they were in public returned.

Terik used his other hand to gently caress her face as if he was inspecting a slave. "She is certainly a pretty thing. I was thinking of bringing her back to my suite so we could get to know each other a little better."

Malix laughed, "Normally I would give you my blessing, but this one is precious to the queen and I do not want to make her angry...unless it becomes necessary."

Terik sighed dramatically, "How disappointing, I suppose I cannot change your mind?"

"No," he answered, "not today anyway."

Relief flooded Zara as the visiting governor released her; but she knew she was far from safe. Implicit in Malix's words and demeanor was the unspoken promise: The second the queen stepped out of line, Moff Terik could do what he wanted to her.

As Zara began to walk away from the men, another arm reached out to grab her; this time it was Malix. "Before you go, there is something I want to clear up." He turned his eyes on the other Moff, "Why were you walking with her away from the Imperial wing of the palace? Did you find her near there?"

Terik laughed, "Oh no, I found her near the main dining hall, and I insisted on us going for a walk together."

It was all Zara could do to hide her shock. Something was very wrong; there was no reason that she could see for Terik to lie for her like that. She waited as Malix parsed this information; she could see that he was deciding whether or not to believe it.

"That's good; I don't want this one skulking around without supervision." He then glared at her, "You may leave; dinner is in a few hours and I want the queen to look her best. Put her in that dark blue gown that I like so much."

As Zara quickly walked away from the two men, the questions regarding that odd exchanged remained. One Moff lied for her and possibly saved her from being arrested and executed; and the other saved her from what probably would have ended up being a rape, even if it was only to garner good relations with the queen.

Whatever it was, the handmaiden was even more afraid. The memory of her bizarre conversation with Moff Terik haunted her and the omnipresent sense of hopelessness that she had been fighting for the last year returned. With a heavy and fearful heart, Zara made her way to the royal suite. The queen would need her soon, and the handmaiden could never abandon her duty.

It was only until later, when the fear and adrenalin wore off, that Zara wondered what Terik was doing in that room alone in the first place.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon when Leia left the sector L-319 primary school. The Emperor thought it would be a good idea for her to visit a few human schools and highlight the superiority of Imperial educational curriculum; also, to encourage children to join COMPNOR's Sub-Adult group. 

It was a fairly standard day for the Imperial princess, as she was unofficially referred to in the mass media; she gave her speech and visited a few of the classrooms. It was a complete success, by the end of her time there, all the children had signed up for the SA group.

There was only one tense moment of the afternoon. One of the boys, who looked to be about nine or ten, gave Leia a flower when she visited one of the classrooms. She thought it was a nice gesture, but her father did not.

Vader had been her constant but silent companion for the entire day. The silence ended when the boy approached her. Leia did not understand why her father grabbed her arm and forced her away from him. However, she did not bother asking him why he would behave in such a manner; she knew she would not get an answer.

As father and daughter, along with several stormtroopers, left the building and walked to the speeder. Leia noticed that they were near a shopping pavilion and her eye was caught by something in one of the shop windows.

"Father, do we have to go anywhere else?"

Vader looked down to the child, "No, there is nothing else today."

Leia grinned and pointed toward the shopping pavilion, "Can we go over there?"

He looked to where she was pointing, "That area has not been properly secured."

"Please, I'll be with you. What could happen?"

"There may be an assassin."

Leia frowned, "No one knows I'm coming. How could there be an assassin?"

Vader stared at the shopping pavilion and then back at his daughter, "All right, for just a few minutes."

"Thank you father!" It had been a long time since she did anything without it being planned down to its last detail. Leia felt as if she was going on an adventure, even if it was only shopping. For just a little while, she wanted to pretend that she was normal.

It was impossible for Leia's presence to go unnoticed. Even if her infamous father was not beside her, the dozen or so stormtroopers that followed her everywhere she went in public made blending in impossible. Still, it was a welcome change from the routine.

Leia tried to ignore the many gasps and exclamations of surprise as she walked down the street, but it was very difficult. She could feel their delight in seeing her and their fear of her father. It was a challenge for her to not become overwhelmed.

The Emperor had told her that fear can be an effective means of ruling, but a lasting reign required the respect and admiration of the populace. Leia knew that her father only utilized fear; and it made her wonder how he was supposed to be an effective leader of the galaxy if he took over for Lord Sidious.

It still stung very much to know that one of the main reasons for her father wanting her was to help him destroy the Emperor. Leia did not want to believe it, but her heart knew it was true. It was confusing to her because, on rare occasions, she had felt that he had true affection for her--if only briefly.

Today, however, Leia did not want to focus on her deepening confusion. Musing over her Sith Lord father's plans for galactic takeover was not helping her pretend that she was normal.

Leia stopped at the shop window. It was a jewelry shop, and in the window was the beautiful necklace that caught her eye moments before. "Isn't that pretty?"

Vader was not as impressed, "The metal is substandard, and the stone is very common. The fact that this shopkeeper is charging this much for it should be considered robbery."

"I know, but I think it's beautiful."

"If you want a necklace, I will get you one handcrafted from the most precious metals, inlaid with the rarest of jewels." From the moment she was brought back into his life, Vader had lavished Leia with luxuries which he had deemed necessities. Apart from that, it was not uncommon for him to bring her a gift of some kind when he returned from a planetary engagement.

Leia frowned in disappointment. She knew that there was nothing of real value to the necklace, but she had picked it out, and that made it special to her. However, she did not want to argue with him. "All right Father, I guess we can go back now."

The pair, along with their stormtrooper guards, then began to walk back to the speeder. As they got closer to it, Leia suddenly felt a disturbance in the Force.

She had little time to react as her father grabbed her and turned her away. Suddenly, she heard a large blast very close to where she was standing; too close. Leia screamed as she felt her skin burning from the heat and the force of tiny projectiles penetrating her skin.

The pain was immense and Leia could feel the darkness closing in on her. The last thing she remembered as she drifted from consciousness was her father holding her and desperately calling her name.


	24. Chapter 24

_**Chapter 24:**_

In the years since the fall of the Republic and the destruction of the Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi had gotten used to disturbances in the Force. He was used to the constant darkness that had engulfed the galaxy with the rise of Darth Sidious and his apprentice. He had to get used to it or he would have gone mad a long time ago.

He had also gotten used to sleep disturbances; it had been so long since he had a peaceful night's sleep that the Jedi had forgotten what it was like. His sleep had recently become even more disturbed since the arrival of Breha Organa's message.

No matter what he did, he could not get the woman's face out of his mind. Her expression showed much distress as she begged him to go rescue her adopted daughter from Darth Vader. Mainly, it was the look in her eyes that he could not ignore; he had seen it in his own eyes every time he looked in the mirror.

With Bail Organa's death and the loss of Leia she was the lone survivor. She had to endure after everything she knew had been taken from her. If there was anyone in the galaxy who understood, it was Obi-Wan Kenobi.

He could also never forget Leia. Every time he trained Luke, he would be reminded that half a galaxy away his twin was being trained as well, but in the ways of the dark side of the Force. She too was all alone in the dark, and had no one but her murdering father.

It would be midnight soon, but sleep would not be possible tonight. His mind refused to stop focusing on the queen's message. He tried to tell himself that he was doing the right thing by focusing on Luke's training, but he still was tormented by the thought of that little girl who's soul was being chipped away one piece at a time. He could no longer ignore it.

"Ben, what's wrong?"

Obi-Wan was not surprised by the arrival of his young student. The boy was very perceptive, even more so than the average Jedi. "You should be asleep."

Ignoring his caregiver's mild rebuke, Luke came into the room and sat down across from Obi-Wan. "You've hardly slept since you received that message."

"I suppose I haven't."

"Did something bad happen?"

"Something bad happened a long time ago," Obi-Wan answered softly.

"But something changed, that's why you can't sleep."

Despite the circumstances, the Jedi could not help but be amused by his student's pestering, "I should have learned by now that I cannot hide anything from you." He weighed his next words very carefully, "I am in the midst of a difficult dilemma--there is a choice I need to make."

Luke nodded, "What choice?"

"There is someone is grave danger that needs my help."

The boy's answer was not unexpected, "Go help then--why is that a hard choice?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, "It's not that simple, Luke; it would require leaving this planet."

"Where would you have to go?"

"I would have to travel to a very dangerous place, and my task could take several weeks."

Luke thought for a few moments before he spoke. "What about me and Siri?"

"If I decide to go, I will take the two of you to another planet, there you will be looked after by another Jedi." Taking the children to Dagobah to be looked after by Master Yoda was not without risk. Securing transport would be difficult, and it would be very hard on Siri especially to be on Dagobah; but Obi-Wan had all confidence in his former master to care for both children. If everything went well, it would only be a temporary arrangement; but there was a very good possibility that things would not go well.

"Another Jedi? I thought all of them were killed, except you." Luke had heard the story of the destruction of the Order, but he had never been told about Yoda.

"He and I are the only ones left."

Luke frowned, "Where is he? What is he like?"

"He's on an even more remote world than Sokoris." Obi-Wan sighed, "As for what he is like, it is hard to describe; but I believe you will get along well."

"When would we go?"

"Very soon, if I decide to go." He could no longer delay. If he went, it would have to be in weeks or even days.

"Who is this person?"

"She's a girl about your age, and she is in grave danger." Obi-Wan could not tell him the truth. Like the identity of his father, the truth that he has a twin sister would have to wait.

As usual, Luke went right to the heart of the matter. "What will happen if you don't go? Will she die?"

"In every way that matters, yes." Her physical well-being was not the Jedi's number one priority.

"Then you have to go, Ben."

"If I go, there's a good possibility that I will not return."

Luke thought for a moment and then grinned, "I think you will; I know the Force will be with you."

* * *

It would be spring soon on Alderaan. The days were getting longer, and the sun shone just a little bit brighter. It had been the coldest winter Aldera had seen in over a century, but finally the signs of its passing were beginning to be seen; and for that, Breha was relieved. Dealing with the loss of her husband and daughter was difficult enough; but it was even harder in the cold. 

It had been over a week since she had sent a message to what she hoped was the only man who could save Leia from Darth Vader. The queen had no way of knowing for certain if the Jedi was even alive, or if the message had even gotten to him; but for reasons she could not completely understand, Breha felt a heavy burden lift off of her shoulders when the message was sent. Somehow, she knew that it would be received by the right man.

Ever since then, the queen felt a peace that she had not experienced since her husband's execution. After the message was sent, she suddenly felt lighter and younger than before. It was as if the windows of her heart, which she had shut tightly after the tragedy, were flung open wide and light bathed her soul. For the first time in a long time, Breha Organa did not cry herself to sleep.

She knew that her personal situation had not changed. She and her people were still firmly under the thumb of Moff Malix and the Empire, and she knew that would probably not change for a very long time. However, the queen's newfound healing made dealing with her situation much easier. Her circumstances may not have changed, but she had changed.

Breha understood that it was very likely that she would never seen Leia again. She told Obi-Wan Kenobi to take her far away from the Empire, and she trusted that this Jedi would do exactly that. She knew that if her husband trusted him, she could as well, even though she had never met him.

The evening was coming soon, and there was no social event scheduled tonight; Breha imagined that even Malix's Imperial guests were relieved. Ever since they had arrived, it had been one function after another; a ball one night and a formal dinner the next. Tonight was a time for rest, and Breha wanted to take advantage of the time she had.

As Breha wandered the gardens closest to the palace, she noticed that even though the garden remained very sparse, little bits of life could be seen here and there; a few of the trees were even beginning to bud.

After a few moments of appreciating the sights, the queen noticed that she was not alone. Looking around she was surprised to see Nora Malix, the governor's sixteen-year-old niece sharing the space with her. The girl appeared to be lost in thought and unaware of the queen's presence.

Breha had attended dinners with Malix's sister and niece, and found them surprisingly unlike the governor in many ways, but she had not really spoken to either of them. Nora appeared to be a typical teenage girl--full of energy and enthusiasm. Unlike many children of the Empire's elite, she did not appear to be spoiled at all. She seemed to be a genuinely sweet girl, which was surprising to the queen considering who her uncle was.

When she heard someone approach, Nora turned to see the queen coming toward her, "I'm sorry Your Highness, I shouldn't be here."

Breha smiled, "No, it's all right; the gardens are open to all guests."

The girl gave a polite curtsy, "I don't want to intrude. I didn't know that you were here."

"You aren't intruding." The Malix family dynamic was a puzzle to the queen. In the few times that she had been around the governor's sister, the woman was quiet and seemingly nervous about something. Breha had a suspicion that all was not well.

"Thank you, it's just so pretty out here. It must be magnificent in the spring."

"It is quite a sight."

Nora's smiled then vanished, "I suppose I will be here to see it."

"I heard you and Lady Malix are staying." Zara had reported to her that Malix had indicated their suite of rooms were to be used on a permanent basis. Before the Empire came, it was she and her husband who decided who would be living in Aldera Palace, but those days were long gone.

The girl shrugged, "That's what I'm told."

"By your uncle?"

"Yes, he's not even letting me go back to prepatory academy."

'Why not?"

"Who knows."

Breha suspected the reason, but decided not to comment. Malix, like many men in the upper echelons of the Imperial government, had a dim view of the abilities of women. During a recent dinner, Moff Pre'Lot loudly asserted that educating a woman was as useless as educating a Wookie; Malix heartily agreed. "What does your mother say about it?"

"She doesn't say anything."

"I'm sorry." There was nothing more she could say.

Nora continued, "I guess I should get used to taking orders from him. Mother says that it's best to not make him angry."

Breha thought of Lady Malix's nervousness around her brother. "Has he hurt you?"

The girl shook her head emphatically, "No, he's been nothing but kind to me my whole life; but I know there's things my mother won't tell me."

"I see." The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to come together, but the picture was far from complete.

Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps was heard coming closer. "Nora, Breha--what a surprise."

"Hello Uncle." For a moment, a look of panic crossed Nora's face as the subject of their conversation came up to them, but was quickly covered by a bright smile. Judging from Malix's cheerful demeanor, Breha figured that he had not heard them.

"What brings the two of you out here?"

"We were discussing the gardens in springtime." Breha answered, wanting to take the pressure off of the girl.

Malix's eyes lit up, "Oh Nora, you are in for a treat in just a few months. Words fail to describe the beauty of Alderaan in the spring."

Nora smiled, "I had better go inside, Mother will be looking for me." Breha did not blame her for wanting a quick escape, she wished she walk away as well, but she knew from previous encounters with the man that it would not be so easy.

"I'll see the two of you at breakfast; goodnight dear."

"Goodnight Uncle." She then turned and gave a curtsy to the queen, "Your Highness."

The girl began to walk away but was stopped by Malix gently grabbing hold of her arm. Without saying a word he grinned and playfully pointed at his cheek. Even in the low light of early evening Breha could see Nora's face turn bright red in embarrassment. Hesitantly, she kissed him on the cheek and quickly made her escape.

Breha was surprised when Malix did not immediately speak. He had never been one to allow a silence to last too long. Even though he did not say anything, his presence was impossible to ignore; the queen could feel his eyes upon her. Eventually, it was she who could no longer stand the quiet. "She's a sweet girl."

Malix smiled, "Yes, she's so much like her mother."

"You seem to truly care for your sister and niece." It was an observation that she had made but never spoke it aloud. She had seen him with his family and, for the most part, he seemed a completely different man. It was difficult for Breha to reconcile the very different personalities that she had seen from him. At times she wondered which was the real Malix--the passionate man who loved his family or the murdering tyrant that had terrorized Alderaan.

"Shocking isn't it," he laughed, "an Imperial governor who cares about his family?"

"You said it, not I."

"I suppose our reputations are somewhat well-deserved," Malix admitted with a shrug.

Before Breha had a chance to respond, he continued, "Lissa always took care of me; in a way, she still tries to look after me."

"How old was she when you were born?"

The governor turned away from the queen's gaze to stare straight ahead, "She was eight. Even at such a young age she took it upon herself to watch over me." He then sighed, "My mother was...unable...to be there most of the time."

Another piece of the puzzle that was the Imperial governor clicked firmly into place in Breha's mind. "I'm sorry." Her expression of sympathy was more in the spirit of filling another awkward silence than her true feelings.

Malix turned back to the queen, "Don't be, I turned out all right."

It took nearly all of her self control to not refute that assertion. "Lady Malix must be a very special person."

"Call her Lissa."

"All right." The last thing Breha wanted to do was get any more familiar with anyone connected to the governor, but she decided it was best to not say that to him. It was futile to fight with him over any issue, especially one of such little importance in the grand scheme of things. The queen was painfully aware that this man was not going to be leaving her life anytime soon; and for the sake of her people and her own sanity, certain concessions would have to be made.

Malix sighed, "Well, as much as I'd love to stay out here with you; the business of governing does continue. I have a comm scheduled with a representative of the Emperor. I have to give my monthly status report; it's all very standard."

"Goodnight."

"You still can't say it, can you?"

"Say what?"

"My first name; you've never called me _Fius_ without prompting." His tone was not angry, which surprised the queen.

Before Breha could formulate a response, Malix smiled, took her hand, and gently kissed it. "Goodnight, my dear." He then turned to leave.

After he was gone, Breha did not have much time to reflect on the conversations she had with Malix and his niece. As soon as he was out of earshot, Zara arrived. The queen hoped that she did not see him kissing her hand; it upset her handmaiden very much when the governor touched her in any way.

"My Queen, I'm sorry for disturbing you." The distress on her face was apparent.

"What's wrong?"

The handmaiden wiped a tear from her eye and took a deep breath, "It is all over HoloNet; Leia has been attacked."

* * *

It had been twelve hours since the explosion, and in that time, Leia had mainly been with the medics as they worked tirelessly to repair the damage done by the blast. One emergency surgery and two bacta treatments later, she was finally placed in a room where he could be with her. 

Leia's face was almost completely covered in bacta patches and bandages which he was told would fully repair the damage done to her face. The bacta immersion treatments had already healed the rest of her body.

As Vader looked down at his sleeping daughter, he was struck by how small she looked. The girl was not even nine years old, but when awake she had a presence about her that was undeniable. However, as he stared at her bandaged and unconscious form, Vader could see how weak and helpless she really was. Even though she had enough raw Force ability to kill with a thought, she was still a child..._his_ child.

Someone had tried to burn his child.

Of all of the rage that the Sith had experienced in his lifetime, none of it compared to what he was experiencing at this moment. Someone had dared to try to kill Leia, and for that, blood would be spilled...much blood already had been spilled, but it was not nearly enough. Every moment of pain that his daughter experienced would be visited back one-hundred fold, and Vader could hardly wait to continue his vengeance.

Suddenly, he could feel a very familiar presence near him. "What are you doing here?"

Ignoring Vader's borderline disrespectful tone, Lord Sidious approached to stand beside his apprentice. "I came to see how the girl was faring."

He was not certain his master's purpose in being here; but he knew it had nothing to do with any concern for Leia's welfare. "She is burned." The hate he had for Sidious was getting more difficult to suppress.

"She will recover; she is strong," he assured Vader as he briefly patted Leia's hand.

At that moment, Vader vowed that when he killed his master, the first thing he would do is cut off the hand that dared to touch his daughter. For the moment, however, that impulse would have to be suppressed. "I have not yet discovered who did this."

Sidious sighed, "But you have been busy, nonetheless. Interrogating a dozen stormtroopers in one day is quite a feat, even for one with your obvious talents." He then laughed, "I heard walls of the interrogation chamber are literally dripping with blood."

It was no exaggeration. During Leia's surgery, every stormtrooper that guarded her was taken into custody and interrogated. Vader used every pain inducing technique his dark mind ever devised on those men. He had not gotten a true confession, yet; but it was only a matter of time.

"It is one of them, or someone else close to her." An inside job was the only thing that could explain how the attacker would have known where Leia was; her time in that shopping pavilion where she was attacked was not pre-planned.

The Emperor briefly spared a glance in Vader's direction. "Are you certain?"

"Yes." He had never been more certain of anything in his life.

"Then proceed."

Vader nodded; in his mind he was already planning the next round of interrogations. He had already decided that he would need to widen the net to find the one responsible. There was one man, in particular, that the Sith was looking forward to questioning. He had already arranged for his arrest.

Sidious returned his attention to the still unconscious child, "Has she stirred at all?"

"No, not since her treatments began." The explosion caused her to lose consciousness only to regain it during transport to the medical center. Darth Vader had seen much in his life. He had seen war, destruction, and death--much of it by his own hand. However, none of that had prepared him for hearing the desperate screams of his own daughter as her body was racked with pain that he could not take from her. He would have gladly dove into the lava of Mustafar again if it meant that Leia would never have to feel that kind of pain.

"You have grown quite attached to the child, haven't you?"

"She is my daughter."

The Emperor grinned, "It has been a long time since I have felt you so distressed."

"She will not die, I will see to it," Vader vowed.

"How will you prevent it?"

For the first time since his Master had arrived, Vader briefly took his eyes off of Leia's unconscious form and looked directly into the scared face of Lord Sidious. "She will not die."

His master did not even try to keep the amusement out of his voice, "Strong words, my friend; but you have made this vow before."

"All those who threaten her will die; I will see to it myself."

"I give you leave to carry out whatever justice you seem fit."

The two Sith were silent for the next few moments. Vader's mind was occupied by thoughts of revenge and the one question that had nagged at him since the attack occurred.

Sidious seemed to pick up on his apprentice's thoughts, "There is something you want to ask me," He laughed. "Lord Vader, I know you better than you know yourself. I created you, don't ever forget that."

"Did you know this was going to happen?"

Vader knew when he asked that it would not be answered, and he was correct. Sidious smiled again and began walking to the door, "I will take my leave, _Apprentice_. Give my best wishes to the child when she awakens."

* * *

All over Imperial Center all Holo programming was interrupted with the news of the attack on Leia Vader. In homes all across the capital, parents did their best to assure their young that the girl who had captured the hearts of many in the Empire was going to be all right, even if they were not so certain themselves. The residence of Bade Nilor was no different. 

As soon as he came into the living area, he was met by his wife, "Did you get hold of anyone?"

He shook his head, "No, no one is responding to my comms." Ever since the attack occurred, Bade had tried to get someone at the palace to respond to his comms; so far he had heard nothing. Still, he had to keep trying. Even though he did not like the way his assignment was turning out, he was fond of the girl.

"What if she's dead?"

Ayumi Nilor turned around to one of her twin granddaughters who were visiting for the evening. "Jen, stop talking like that, you'll upset your sister."

The other twin then took Bade's hand, "Grandpapa, you are her teacher, can't you go to the Palace and find something out?"

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way Peri, I can only come when called." Even though he was the girl's tutor, that position did not give him any more access to information than the average subject of the Empire.

"Why would someone do this?"

"I don't know, there are many bad people." Bade decided that it was best to not mention that many of these _bad people_ ran the Empire.

His wife then put her arms around the twins. "Girls, do not be afraid, the Emperor will have those that did this brought to justice. Remember what he said in his last address."

There were not many who were more devoted to the Empire than Ayumi Nilor. In everyday conversation, it was not uncommon for her to mention something the Emperor said in one of his public addresses. It was something that her husband was daily getting more and more uncomfortable with.

An automated chime indicated that someone was just outside their door. "Who is that?"

Before he had a chance to check the security feed, the door was forced open and stormtroopers came pouring in. Bade had little time to react to what was happening before he was taken to the ground and put in stuncuffs.

With his face on the ground he could not see what was going on, but he could hear his granddaughters crying.

"What is the meaning of this?" Demanded his wife.

Ignoring the woman, the troopers picked up their prisoner from the ground. "Bade Nilor, you are under arrest by order of Lord Darth Vader." For the first time, he could see that the soldiers not only had their weapons trained on him, but on his family as well.

"Why? This man is a personal friend of the Emperor, and is in his service."

"Ayumi, don't speak." His experience on the _Devastator_ had given the professor knowledge of how the Empire's soldiers conducted their operations. He also knew how his wife could be when she was upset; the situation could easily get out of control.

As the stormtroopers were processing him for arrest, Bade gave his family what he hoped was a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, this will be cleared up soon." He had not been told what he was being arrested for, but he had a suspicion that it had something to do with the attack on Leia Vader.

As he was being taken from his residence, he heard Ayumi yell out once more, "I will get in touch with the Emperor. He'll undo this mistake."

* * *

Leia felt as if she had been asleep for days. Coming out of her drug-induced slumber, it took her a few moments to remember that something had happened to her; but her recollection was foggy. Whatever it was it had panicked her father greatly, but she was not quite sure what it was. 

"Father, are you there?"

Suddenly, she felt a strong hand grasp her own, and the unmistakable Force presence of Darth Vader flooded her mind. "I'm here Leia."

The fog began to lift, and she realized something was wrong. "I can't see."

"Your eyes are covered by bacta patches. They were damaged in the explosion."

Finally, the horror of what had happened came rushing back, "I remember hearing a loud noise, and I felt my skin burning." As the memories returned, Leia wished that she could block them again. She remembered feeling as if her body had been engulfed in flames.

"The medic assures me that you will make a full recovery. You are strong, my daughter."

Her father's normally strong voice seemed subdued as he spoke. To Leia, it felt as if he was saying that more to himself than to her. Despite his assurances, he could not hide his true feelings from his daughter, "Then why are you so afraid? There's something you are not telling me."

Vader's grip on her hand tightened, "You will recover, I promise you."

Leia normally hated crying; she hated appearing weak, especially in front of her father. But, the memories of what had happened were too much for the child. All of her emotional reserve crumbled. "Father, it hurt so much...the burning. I thought it would never stop."

The Sith let go of her hand and began pacing the room. "It will never happen again, I will see to it."

Leia felt her father's fear turn into something much more. She had seen him upset before, but never to this extreme; and it frightened her. "Was it an accident?"

The speed of his pacing increased. "It was no accident, someone tried to kill you."

"Why?"

"Your position makes you a target."

"Why would someone want to kill me? Did I do something wrong?" Leia remembered her father once telling her that there would be those who would be jealous of her power, but she never thought anyone would do something like this.

Immediately, Vader grasped her hand again, but there was nothing gentle about his action. "Listen to me Leia, you did nothing wrong. Do not let that thought ever cross your mind again. You are my daughter, and_that_ will make lower men despise you."

"They hate the Empire."

"Yes, there are rebels who want to destroy the New Order. They must be eliminated without mercy."

Leia then understood what her father had been doing--and why. "How many were eliminated today?"

"Not enough, my child, not enough."


	25. Chapter 25

_**Chapter 25:**_

Moff Malix had many plans when he came to Alderaan. He was thrilled that the Emperor, in his infinite wisdom, trusted him with the task of turning this rebellious planet into the most prized world in the Empire. He was happy to be a part of the Emperor's grand vision for the galaxy.

One thing he never expected was to fall in love; but the moment he saw Breha Organa, his heart was taken and there would be no getting it back. While he, on some occasions, had to correct her, he tried his best to not be cruel about it; but she had to learn that he was in charge.

Even though there were many challenges to come, things were finally beginning to work out for the governor.

The people of Alderaan seemed to have finally accepted their place in the Empire. The new Imperial school curriculum had been fully implemented and it was a resounding success. Children all over the planet were beginning their school day by bowing to the Emperor's holo and repeating a loyalty oath. Even secondary school students were racing to apply to Imperial sponsored universities.

He had also been making positive strides in his personal life. Breha, who had been sullen and stubborn for so long, was beginning to show some sign of life. She was finally beginning to smile. Two days earlier he actually heard her laugh; he had never heard anything more beautiful in his life. Of course, she was not laughing for him.

His sister and niece were on Alderaan. The Malix family was finally together again, just as they always should have been. Even though there was some tension when Lissa first arrived, that was finally beginning to melt away. He hoped that soon his sister would agree to become one of his advisors; he needed her input on many projects he was working on.

It was all going so well, but the news he just received put a damper on all of his plans. There had been an assassination attempt on Leia Vader, and her father was on a rampage. During his briefing earlier Malix had been informed by a dispassionate representative of the Moff Council that some intelligence that was gathered in the hours after the attack--intelligence that made his position on Alderaan even more precarious.

He had tried so hard to keep Alderaan out of Vader's sights. He knew that the Emperor's second in command still resented the planet and its former ruler for taking his child from him. There had been talk for several months that Vader was waiting for an excuse to return to Alderaan to deal personally with Queen Breha.

Malix had been fairly certain that those were merely rumors, but if the intelligence gathered by the Imperial government was true, all hopes that Vader would continue to ignore the planet would be dashed.

The governor did not expect that his situation could so quickly change by the action of a madman halfway across the galaxy. He knew he had to do something, but he was not sure what he could do.

After the comm, Malix racked his brain for hours trying to find a solution, but he could not think. At just a little after midnight, he decided to take a walk around the palace grounds. He needed some fresh air to soothe his troubled mind.

After an hour of wandering aimlessly, the governor's mind was far from untroubled. Various scenarios were tormenting him; there was far too much that could go wrong. He did not know what to do. He felt helpless, and Moff Fius Malix hated feeling helpless.

His musings were interrupted by the sound of light footsteps coming toward him. He was surprised when he saw who it was that was also up so late. "Nora."

"Uncle!" She exclaimed. "You surprised me."

He approached her and saw that she was very nervous but was doing her best to hide it. "I seem to be doing that a lot lately." It was just a few hours ago when he found her in the gardens speaking with Breha. Earlier, he had wrestled with himself on how, or if he even should address that incident; but all thoughts of that were quickly dismissed when the he received the news from Imperial Center.

Nora gave her uncle what he had learned to be her most manipulative smile; he had seen it more than once since she arrived on Alderaan. Just like all women, she learned from an early age how to get her way by being charming. "I couldn't sleep."

What Fius' niece had not learned was that such things did not work on him. "It's late, you should be in bed. Does your mother know that you are wandering the palace at night?"

"She's asleep, I slipped out."

As the girl stood before him, he knew that he had to address what happened earlier that evening. Now was not the time to have secrets within his household. If his family was scheming with Breha behind his back; he needed to know about it. He put out his arm for her to take, "Walk with me, dear."

Nora's smile disappeared and she glanced around nervously, "I probably should be getting back."

"Walk with me," He insisted in such a way that it was impossible for her to refuse.

Nora nodded and reluctantly took his arm. "Yes Uncle."

The pair walked in silence for a few moments before Fius began. "You're nervous."

"No."

He sighed; this was not the night to test his patience. "Above all, I hate it when people lie to me, especially my own family."

Nora stopped walking, "Uncle please, I'm not lying."

"You haven't been around me much, so you do not know my expectations. I will then give you this one warning; lie to me one more time and you will be punished."

"I won't lie," she insisted breathlessly.

Malix could see the fear in her eyes; and he was glad to see it. The girl knew that he was not a man to underestimate--At least her mother had taught her that much. His hand went to her shoulder and gripped it tightly; he then stared directly into her terror filled eyes. "Good, now answer me this, what did you tell the queen when you spoke with her earlier?"

Nora began to stutter, "Like she said...we...we spoke about the gardens."

There was nothing Malix hated more than to be lied to...especially by a woman, and even worse, one under his own roof. With his free hand, he slapped his niece; but not as hard as he could have. He wanted to demonstrate to the girl the consequences of disobedience, but not do any permanent damage.

Nora's reaction was immediate; she cried out and tried to run away. Her uncle's ever tightening grip stopped her. "I warned you, you can only blame yourself for that."

There was no stopping Nora's tears, "She asked me why I wasn't going back to school; I told you it was because you took me out of the academy. She then asked me if you had ever hurt me; I told her no."

Finally, he heard the truth in her shaky voice. Fius smiled at her, "Very good answer, my dear."

"Uncle, let me go; I beg you."

"Apologize for lying to me."

Nora bowed her head, "I'm sorry Uncle; I won't do it again."

Satisfied, Malix released her. "Very good, return to your suite."

* * *

Zara had not seen her Rebellion contact for months. She had, on occasion, received a few brief communications from him, but he had not stepped foot on Alderaan in a while. After Leia's assassination attempt, Zara's was surprised to receive a message that he was indeed on the planet and wanting a face to face meeting with her. 

Zara knew that she was taking an incredible risk by leaving the palace, but she had to find out what her contact wanted from her. She hoped for good news, but she prepared herself for bad. It had been a very long time since she had heard anything positive.

Leaving the palace was even more difficult than normal. As usual, she waited until very early morning when the palace's Imperial security was not as tight and left for her and her contact's designated meeting place.

Even with the decreased security, the handmaiden knew that she was taking her life into her hands every time she spoke with Doran Melkor, but she could not sit by while her people, and her queen, were being held at the throat by the Emperor and Moff Malix.

She arrived to find her contact even more nervous than usual. "How long have you been on Alderaan?"

"I arrived just this morning."

"You shouldn't have called me; not now. Security is even tighter than usual ever since the measures the Emperor put in place after Princess Leia's attack." To even speak the words aloud nearly made Zara's emotional reserve crumble. When she found out that the princess had been attacked, the handmaiden wept. She loved that little girl so very much; but she also knew what the news would do to the queen.

However, Queen Breha surprised her with her calm. Zara had not seen her so resolute for a very long time. Of course, she grieved over what had been done to Leia; but the hopeless despair was gone. The handmaiden was glad to see it, and she suspected that it had something to do with the queen's message to the Jedi in exile that her husband had told her about.

Her contact looked away as he spoke. "She's not a princess; she is Vader's daughter. It is best that you remember that."

Something about his tone and demeanor did not sit well with her. There was an edge to his voice that had been missing in their previous conversations. A horrible thought crossed Zara's mind--so horrible that she could barely speak it. "Doran, answer me, did your organization have anything to do with the attack?"

Doran smiled bitterly, "It's interesting, you keep saying 'your' and not 'our'. You are just as much a part of this as I am."

Zara felt as if the entire world stopped. She wanted her contact to immediately deny it; but his hesitancy to do so frightened her more than anything. "Dear goddess, this can't be true."

"Calm down, I don't believe it was us."

"You don't_ believe_?"

Doran paused as he gathered his thoughts. "They don't tell me everything; as I don't tell you everything."

The handmaiden knew that she was in the dark about many things; but to hear it so bluntly made shivers go up her spine. All of Zara's previous fears about her own safely vanished. She was not afraid of being caught; she was more terrified that she was associated with those who would try to kill a child--and not just any child, the adopted daughter of the queen that she swore to serve.

The Rebellion operative tried to explain, "Many of the more militant senators have risen to prominence within the organization. After Bail Organa's execution, there has been a change of leadership. His former allies have lost their influence."

"So we're now terrorists."

"As I said, I do not believe that it was us; but I'm still looking into it." Doran took Zara's hand as a gesture of comfort, it did not work.

"I cannot do this."

"Zara, you can't quit now. Those words should not be coming out of your mouth; you know far too much to be let go easily."

Zara looked up and met the gaze of the man before her, "Is that a threat?"

"No, but you cannot afford to be left on your own, especially now. You are committed to this cause; for the rest of your life."

* * *

Lissa Malix remembered clearly the day her brother returned home from his prepatory academy. He had already been accepted in one of the finest universities in the Republic, but had three months before his freshman semester began. 

Lissa had been married and moved out of the family home for a few years by that point, but her mother begged her to visit as often as possible while Fius was there. She knew why, the Malix matriarch was terrified of her own son.

Even though no formal charges were filed against Fius for the brutal rape and murder of his former girlfriend, no one in his family believed he was innocent. They knew the truth; it was the vast Malix fortune alone that kept him out of prison.

However, no one spoke the truth aloud, especially her parents. After the case was dismissed, it was never even discussed. Lissa supposed that everyone wanted to forget, especially their mother.

Like she had been for most of Fius' life, Lissa was put in the middle of him and their parents. When he returned home from prepatory academy, she came over to their house almost every evening to make certain things were running smoothly. If something unpleasant needed to be said, her parents would tell her so she could break it to Fius. He always seemed to take bad news better from her.

After her brother went off to university, it was hoped that things would be better. Her mother told Lissa on many occasions that she was glad that Fius was out of prepatory academy because, _"He was around too many bad influences there."_ The family believed that with the past behind them, everyone would be able to move on.

Things did not turn out exactly as they hoped. While no problems were reported while he was in university, every time he came home for visits, Lissa saw things in her brother that disturbed her greatly.

It was small at first, a few strange comments here and there; it was very hard to put her finger on exactly what the problem was. Her parents did not see it; they raved over his grades and his many prospects after graduation. For a while, Lissa thought she was seeing something in her brother that was not there; but eventually she would come to realize what her mother and father refused to see. Fius Malix was insane.

As the years wore on, Lissa watched as her brother's behavior became more and more erratic while in private. In public, he was a rising star in the later Republic. There was even talk of him being appointed as a representative; but it was only when the Empire was formed that he really hit his stride professionally.

In the years since the rest of her family's death, Lissa Malix did everything she could to love her troubled brother from a distance. She cared for him greatly, but she also knew what he was capable of and it frightened her to the very core. She learned, when dealing with him, it was best to choose her battles.

But now, her brother had crossed the line; she could not let what he did go unaddressed.

As she made her way toward the Imperial wing of the palace, she was already planning how she would approach her brother. She could not forget his previous threats regarding Nora; but she could not stay silent while Fius used her daughter as a punching bag.

Going through the stormtroopers that guarded his office was not difficult; he told her when she arrived that she was always welcome at his office. Lissa wondered if that would be the case after today.

The first sight that greeted her when she entered the office was her brother hunched over a datapad while holding a glass of what appeared to be some kind of whiskey. He looked up and glared at her when she arrived.

Before he had a chance to say anything, she addressed him coldly, "Fius."

He roughly put down the datapad he was holding, but did not let go of his glass. "I'm busy Lissa."

"You're drinking, you're not busy." As she got closer to him the smell was unmistakable. This struck Lissa as odd; of all of Fius' flaws, drunkenness never was one of them.

"I'm warning you, I am in no mood for you today."

Lissa knew that she could not allow herself to appear as frightened as she was, especially after hearing his tone. He was upset about something already, and he would not take this confrontation well. Still, she was already committed; she could not back down now. "You attacked my daughter."

Fius narrowed his eyes, "You did not teach her the right way to address an elder; I was merely correcting it."

"She is hurt and terrified; she refuses to leave her room." Nora had returned to their suite in tears. Lissa was about to scold her for sneaking out, but was stopped by the horrific sight of her sixteen year old daughter's bruised cheek. She immediately knew who did this; there was no one else in the palace that would dare attack the governor's niece.

Fius leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his drink, "There is a dinner tonight, and I expect her to be there. If you cannot coax her out of her room, I will drag her out of it," he added with a cruel smirk.

It was all Lissa could do to not attack her brother physically. If she had a blaster, she probably would have shot him. "Why are you doing this?"

In a flash, he threw the glass against the wall and stood. Lissa flinched and prepared for the expected strike; but instead of hitting her, Fius roughly ran his fingers through his short hair and began pacing the confines of the office. "I am tired of being undermined. Now it seems I'm getting it from my own family."

This was not the first time that Lissa had heard her brother rant and rave. Usually, she would patiently listen to him and tell him that everything would be all right. She had spent a good portion of her adult life dealing with Fius' dark moods and was sick to death of it.

She sighed, "I'm sorry that the queen did not fall madly in love with you. I'm sorry that there are no parades in your honor on the streets of Aldera. I am so sorry that your position is not working out like you planned. That is not Nora's fault!"

Fius stopped pacing and again glared at his sister, "I thought you learned a long time ago that I was not to be spoken to in such a manner."

She did not let that stop her, "You always enjoyed attacking defenseless targets, didn't you? That's why you went after Nora; you knew that she couldn't fight back."

"I could have you arrested for this."

"Yes, you could," Lissa began, "This position has given you everything you have ever wanted, hasn't it? You have servants to order around, stormtroopers to be your own personal vengeance squad, and the authority to execute anyone who might disagree with you. You have the power over life and death on Alderaan; and it has intoxicated you."

She then stopped and examined the sight before her. Gone was the overconfident swagger he usually displayed. "But something has changed. I can see it in your eyes; you are afraid--terrified even. Has something gone horribly wrong?" She asked in a mocking tone that her anger had brought forth.

Instead of the rage Lissa expected, her brother's only response was to sink down in a nearby chair and put his head in his hands. "Get out."

Her first inclination was to unleash a verbal barrage, but seeing him so distressed stopped her. Lissa was still angry at her brother for what he had done, but his defeated posture gave her pause. She grabbed a chair, placed it in front of him, and sat down. Like she had done many times when he was a child to calm him, Lissa took Fius' hands in hers and held them firmly.

Her voice was gentle and even as she spoke, "Fius, I am the only one in the entire galaxy who might show you just a little bit of compassion--far more than you deserve. What has happened?"

He did not answer at first; but when he finally spoke, his voice was weak, "You know of Leia Vader's assassination attempt."

"Yes." She supposed that there was no one within the Empire that was unaware of the attack on Lord Vader's daughter.

"Intelligence reports are indicating that the attacker was Alderaanian."

"I can't believe that," Lissa exclaimed.

Fius shook his head, "A representative of the Emperor told me just last night. From what I've been given, the intelligence is sound."

"Leia Vader used to be High Princess of this planet, she was beloved."

"That was before her true identity was revealed."

"Even still, I have a hard time believing that an Alderaanian would do something like this." The very idea was preposterous; this planet was well-known for being a place of peace and tranquility. Lissa figured that was the only reason why they accepted the Emperor's rule without any violent uprisings.

"Alderaanians attacked Breha."

"You were the real target," Lissa reminded him.

"Does that sound like something a pacifist would do?"

To prevent him from beginning one of his all too common rants against the people of Alderaan and their refusal to accept him completely, Lissa tightened her grip on his hands to keep him focused. "If it was an Alderaanian that did this, what does it mean?"

Fius' shoulders slumped, "Lord Vader is on a rampage. If it was someone from this world that did this, the blame will be shifted to me."

"How do you figure?"

"I am the Imperial governor," explained her brother. "I was appointed to keep the people of this world in check. If, despite everything that I have done to keep order, one of them tried to kill Vader's daughter, I will be blamed."

"What will happen to you?"

"Lissa, no Moff has ever survived being replaced."

"They would kill you?" Lissa was well aware that serving the Empire held risk; and the higher the position, the greater the danger. However, she did not imagine that their lives were worth so little if they failed.

Fius nodded, "Yes, I was told that in no uncertain terms when I took this position."

As Lissa processed this new information, her brother broke from her tight grip on his hands, got up, and resumed pacing the room. "I know there is a part of you that thinks that I have it coming; but let me make this clear, you are in just as much danger as I--everyone in this palace is in danger."

"How?"

"If Vader comes here, he will bring his own enforcers with him--the most elite troops the Empire has. He will take over the palace, and I will be executed. Then, anyone in my government will be next..." Fius stopped pacing and looked meaningfully in his sister's eyes, "All of my advisors."

"I'm not an advisor." Lissa remembered her brother suggesting it when she first arrived; but she most certainly did not take the job.

"As far as the Empire is concerned, you are. That is how I reported your status."

"Why?"

"I had hoped you would eventually agree to my offer."

Lissa stood immediately and shouted, "I don't believe this! What about Nora?"

Fius turned from his sister's gaze, "Intern...I thought it would be a good opportunity for her until she marries." He shook his head, "If I thought you two would be in danger, I never would have done it."

"You should have thought! You know how ruthless the Empire is!" Lissa stopped her verbal assault as the reality of their situation came crashing down. "Forget about me, Nora may die because of you."

"I know that, Lissa."

"Let her leave now."

"No, the ships to and from Alderaan are now being watched constantly; it would draw too much attention."

Lissa threw her hands up in frustration, "So, we're supposed to just sit here and allow this to happen?"

"I will make it right, I promise you."

"Forgive me Fius, but I don't trust any of your promises."

The governor came over to where his sister was standing and took her hand. "If the attacker is Alderaanian, I may be able to placate Vader by discovering who it is and finding any co-conspirators."

"How will you do that?"

"If I have to search every home personally, and interrogate every housewife, I will do it."

"That's your solution, become even more monstrous?" The look in her brother's eye was unmistakable. She knew that he was not bluffing; Fius would do as he promised, and much more.

"I don't have time to be a benevolent ruler. Do not forget, my dear sister, while you may be uncomfortable with my methods, they may be the only thing that keeps Lord Vader from this planet."

* * *

It was nearly dawn when Zara finally made it back to Aldera Palace. As she had done before, the handmaiden carefully slipped through one of the holes in the security perimeter and climbed over the tall hedges that lined the palace gardens, all the while praying that no one would see her. 

Even under the extreme circumstances, it was difficult for Zara to focus on her mission to return to the palace unseen. She was tormented by the questions that arose during her meeting with Doran Melkor.

She was upset and angry--angry with her contact for not being forthcoming and angry with herself for getting involved in an organization that would possibly attack a child to score a political point. She hoped that Doran was right and it was not them; but the nagging sensation in the back of her mind refused to leave her alone. Zara prayed that she had not made a horrible mistake.

Deep in thought, the handmaiden was startled when she heard a voice coming from the shadows. "You are certainly in a hurry."

Zara recognized the voice immediately. "Moff Terik, I didn't see you there." She hoped that he had not seen her, but it seemed that this guest of Malix was always where she was--at the worst possible times. She remembered her last encounter with him when he lied for her. She still did not know if he was truly protecting her, or if he was doing it for some other unspeakable purpose. Whatever it was, she knew that Terik was dangerous and she wished that he would leave Alderaan.

He appeared out of the shadows. Instead of the amused grin on his face that she had seen many times before, the governor appeared to be serious. He came up to where she was standing and regarded her for a few moments before reaching out to briefly touch the handmaiden's face. "Have you been crying?"

"No," She lied.

Terik frowned, "What's wrong?"

"I must go." Zara wanted to get away--from Terik, from Malix, and even from the palace. For the first time since she had entered the service of the queen, the handmaiden wanted to even run from that.

In the light of day, she would have immediately dismissed those thoughts as treasonous; but after all that had happened that night, Zara was at her breaking point. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with this man.

Terik's gaze was unyielding as he spoke again, "I heard about Lord Vader's daughter; I'm sure the queen is taking it hard."

Zara nodded, "She is."

"I heard the child will make a full recovery. That is good news, at least."

"Yes it is, very good news." Zara's mind was barely on the conversation; she was preoccupied with her own raging emotions.

Terik then came closer. He smiled briefly as he again touched the handmaiden's cheek. "I saw you running to the palace."

Zara did not want to play this game anymore. "You did?"

"Yes, I did, I was concerned for you. It is a chilly night to be out."

"I had an errand to run for the queen." The words sounded hollow as she spoke them, and she knew that only an idiot would believe them. Moff Terik was not an idiot and she knew it.

For just a moment she wondered what he would do if she confessed everything to him--her associations with a rebel group, her desire to kill Malix despite her pacifist upbringing, and her growing inclination to just give in knowing that the Imperial machine was far too large and monstrous for one such as her to fight.

Instead of calling Zara on her obvious lies, the Moff only nodded. "Of course, you must have misplaced your pass that allows you to leave the palace's security perimeter. It's a good thing that there are many locations where it can be breached, or you would have a lot of explaining to do."

Before Zara could formulate a response, footsteps could be heard coming toward them. Terik cursed under his breath and took the handmaiden into his arms. He bent down and whispered in her ear. "Please forgive me, My Lady."

In a flash, the governor's personality that Zara had seen in private changed. He aggressively clutched the handmaiden toward him and roughly kissed her. His grip was so tight that it was impossible to break away.

He only stopped when another voice was heard, "What are you doing here?"

Terik grinned at his colleague, "Returning from my suite; I wanted to give the handmaiden here a proper goodbye before we parted. She is so full of spirit."

Malix glared at the handmaiden suspiciously. "I just received a report; the palace's perimeter was breached. Do you know anything about that?"

Zara did not have time to answer before Terik intervened. "She's been with me for most of the night, in my suite. She was quite agreeable."

The handmaiden was furious with the insinuations, but knew it was the wisest course of action to stay silent.

Malix continued to glare at her as he took in what was said. Finally, he turned his attention to Terik, "I'm sure she was."

With that, Malix walked away leaving a very angry handmaiden with the other Moff, "How dare you imply that I would willingly share your bed."

Terik again bent down to whisper in Zara's ear. "I wouldn't complain if I were you. I just gave you an alibi--the only alibi that Malix would believe."

"What game are you playing?"

It was only then that Zara was released from his embrace; but he did not let her go completely. With surprising gentleness, Terik put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead. "The same as always. Goodbye my dear, until the next time."


	26. Chapter 26

_**Chapter 26:**_

Bade Nilor never thought that he would see sunshine again. When he was placed in his cell many days before, he had few hopes of ever getting out. During his confinement, he had seen his jailor only a few times.

During Vader's first session, Bade was injected with drugs and asked questions for countless hours. He did not remember what he was asked, but he clearly recalled the intense pain that accompanied every one of his answers.

After it was over, Vader only returned two additional times, each time causing Bade more pain. Afterward, he was left alone for days.

In his solitude, he tried to focus on his wife and family. He knew that they must have been going through a nightmare with his arrest. When he was not thinking of his family, Bade's mind was focused on his hatred of the men responsible for his condition, Lord Vader and Emperor Palpatine.

Vader was the obvious object of his hate, he had been the one who had thrown him into prison and tortured him; but the professor was convinced that the Emperor was the puppet-master behind it all. He had known the man for far too long, and knew what he was capable of.

It was late in the eighth day when two stormtroopers came to his cell and informed him that Palpatine had requested his immediate presence. He was then taken out of the prison and placed in a speeder to be taken to the Imperial Palace.

Bade Nilor had never been inside of the palace. He had seen it from the outside on many occasions, but only the privileged few were allowed to enter. As he came inside, the décor of the palace was not a surprise. It was grand and intimidating, just as he expected.

When he arrived at the throne room, the Emperor immediately addressed him, "I trust your confinement was brief."

"Eight days...in maximum security," he spat, barely concealing his hatred for the man before him.

The Emperor shrugged dispassionately, "You are alive; that is more than I can say for your pupil's security team."

Bade felt as if he had been kicked in the chest, "All of them?" He knew that the security team that followed Leia were hand picked by Vader and known to be the best of the best. For him to kill them meant that either Vader had been fooled and they really were treasonous or he killed them only out of rage.

The professor knew of the second-in-command's temper first hand, a quality that his pupil had displayed at times. Still, it shocked him that all of them were now dead.

Bade realized that there was no reason for him to be standing there. If the soldiers that Vader choose personally to protect his daughter were not spared his wrath, then the man that the Emperor picked to influence and spy on Leia should have fared no better.

Palpatine leaned back in his throne and cackled, "You expected Lord Vader to be merciful?"

"No, but..."

"You believed I would stop him." The Emperor finished with a self-satisfied grin.

Bade knew first hand how ruthless his old friend was. He had known him since they were both in their late teens and watched with amazement how he built his stellar political career in the many decades that followed.

In that time the professor had seen just how far he would go to get ahead. Being young and ambitious himself, Bade view his friendship with the future Emperor as a boon to his own career, which it was; but that did not mean that he was not terrified of him.

Today he was still frightened, but he was mainly tired--tired of the high price of being Palpatine's friend. He was not only weary of body, but he was also weary of mind and soul. Bade no longer cared about position and influence, he just wanted it to be over.

"I should have known better, apparently." He could no longer stand the pretense. The man before him might have been the most powerful being in the galaxy, but Bade could no longer give him deference. "May I ask why I was spared?"

Palpatine rose from his throne and came down to where the professor was standing. He leaned in just inches from Bade's face, "You are in my service, and you are an old friend."

If he believed that it would work, Bade would have strangled the Emperor right there. He knew that voice well; it was the syrupy, manipulative tone that had enthralled many over the years. "That was a long time ago, when we were different men."

Palpatine laughed, "I am the same man, and you are still my most loyal...friend."

Bade could barely stand looking at the hideous face before him, but his last remaining pride did not allow him to look away. "I am the only one of your old friends that is still alive. How long will that be the case?"

"Your tone is troubling. I know you have been through much in the last few days; that must be the explanation." Another grin crossed the Emperor's face, "Your wife was very upset when she contacted me on your behalf."

Feeling the breath leaving his body, Bade found it difficult to respond, "How did she get hold of you?" His family was the only thing good in his life, and he did not want Palpatine anywhere near them.

"Ayumi is a dear friend of mine," began Palpatine. "I was concerned for her when you took your post as Leia Vader's tutor. I felt it necessary to look out for her while you were away. I gave her a special communications frequency to use to contact me in case of an emergency."

He could no longer stand looking at the face before him; he closed his eyes to block it out. "Why?"

"Don't be that way, Bade, my intentions were purely honorable."

With as much hate as he could muster, the professor opened his eyes and glared. "I'm sure they were, as are all of your intentions."

Palpatine acted surprised by the vitriol. "If you were anyone else, you would be dead by now."

"I would just be another in a very long list...Your Highness," he sneered.

The Emperor shook his head, "You are disappointing me."

"Please, either get to your real purpose in releasing me, or put me back in that cell and let Vader do what he wants. I suspect you did not bring me here just to toy with me."

Palpatine then gave him a look that Bade had rarely seen, but every time he had, it never failed to make him shiver. It was the look he gave when he was truly angry. There was no politics, no manipulation...just pure rage. "Do you think your family will be better off without you?"

"As long as I'm in your service, they are in danger."

The Emperor began to slowly circle him as a predator would stalk his prey, "They will lose everything; do you want that to happen?"

Bade blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall, "I want them to be left alone."

The predator then stopped and moved in for the kill, "But they will not. Let me be blunt...old friend...with one simple communication I can have evidence planted that makes it clear your wife, and your daughter...the mother of your beloved grandchildren...were in on the plot to attack your pupil."

"They are staunch Imperial supporters, they practically worship you!" Bade shouted, feeling as if the room was closing in on him.

Palpatine laughed, "Yes, give me a few minutes with them, and they will believe that they are rebels fighting against me and my government."

Bade knew about the Emperor's non-standard abilities, but never heard him speak so openly about them. "Your hypnosis does not work on everyone...it never worked on me."

"No, but I know for a fact that it works on your very beautiful wife."

Bade suddenly felt dizzy. He did not know when or why Palpatine had tried to control Ayumi in the past, but the way he said it brought up sickening images. Bade put his head in his hands and began to weep for what had been done to his beloved.

The Emperor continued, "They will confess to the crime of working with rebels to kill Vader's daughter, and I will give him leave to do with them what he wants, and he will gleefully take it."

"You will not die though...No, my friend, you will watch every agonizing second of their interrogation. You will hear every one of their screams for mercy that Lord Vader will ignore."

"I will be right there beside you the entire time. You will beg me to kill you, but I will not. After they are dead, you will live the rest of your life...provided for very comfortably...in the Imperial Palace. You will be given state of the art medical care to assure your long life." Palpatine stopped to let his words take full effect before giving his final condemnation. "Your only companion will be your hatred for me...and yourself...for the rest of your miserable life."

"No..." Bade whispered, wishing a higher power existed that could save him and his family.

The Emperor then returned to his perch on the throne and peered down at the man before him. "Have I ever broken a promise?"

"What do you want?"

"Your never-ending devotion, for starters." Palpatine's voice then became hard as steel. "Kneel before your Emperor," He commanded.

Bade had no choice but obey. The small bit of pride and determination that remained after Vader's interrogation left him. As he knelt before the man who he once thought was his friend--so many years ago, all of his physical strength left him as well. His body collapsed and he fell prostrate before the Emperor.

"Now, give an oath."

In between the sobs that he could no longer hold back, Bade vowed, "I am...your loyal servant...my Emperor. I will do anything you command."

Palpatine again left his throne, bent down, and placed his hand on the professor's shoulder, "Very good, was that so difficult?"

"No, Your Highness," Bade muttered, secure in the knowledge that he was wholly and completely owned.

"Now, you may go back to your home and family. They miss you very much and are very concerned about you. Rest for the next few days; you will be returning to work very soon."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Suddenly, Bade felt the strong arms of the Imperial guard take him and bring him to his feet. Palpatine addressed them, "Take him to my personal medical droid; he is to be taken very good care of. There should be not a scar on him. Then, return him to his residence."

As he was being led out of the throne room, the Emperor called out to him, "Bade, when you get home, be sure you give my regards to Ayumi."

* * *

Obi-Wan knew that Yoda would not be happy to receive a message from him. Each time they contacted one another, the chance of them being discovered by the Empire increased exponentially. But he had to inform him of his change of plans.

It was agonizing, but the Jedi had decided that he could no longer sit back and allow Leia to be corrupted by the Sith any longer. The message from Queen Breha made it impossible to ignore. Obi-Wan could not let anyone else be taken by the Dark Side; he was her only hope against it.

His decision to rescue her was made difficult because he was caring for Luke and his toddler cousin, Siri. He cared for them both very much, and leaving them even to the care of Master Yoda was extremely difficult. He knew they would be well protected, but putting them on a hostile planet with a being they had never met was heart wrenching.

In the time since he had made the decision, Obi-Wan had investigated his transport options and found a ship that might suit his purposes. It was an old and barely flyable cargo vessel that had mainly been used for inter-system travel for several years until the owner gave up.

After using the Force to secure a very good deal on the ship, he spent several days trying to make the ancient hyperdrive come back to life. It was a mammoth task, but Obi-Wan finally got it to work...somewhat. At the very least he needed it only to get to Dagobah and to another planet with a larger population center where he could find something better.

With Luke hard at work on his chores and Siri taking her mid-afternoon nap, the Jedi activated his communication equipment and contacted his fellow exile across the galaxy.

After several minutes of waiting, Master Yoda finally responded. _"This contact is dangerous, Obi-Wan."_

The rebuke was not unexpected. "I know, but there has been a development."

_"Know this, I already do."_

Obi-Wan realized that he had underestimated Yoda--he should have known that the former Grand Master would have discerned the purpose in his contact. "Master, I cannot leave Leia to her fate. I have to try and rescue her."

_"Wish you had made this decision earlier. Far too late, I fear."_

"It cannot be too late. She is still a child." Obi-Wan had to believe it, otherwise there would be no point in trying to get her away from the Sith.

Yoda seemed to not be as convinced, _"Darkness surrounds her, very little child remains."_

That he could not deny. In the holos that he had seen of her, he could not see much of a child in her. There was great darkness around her, even the untrained could see it; but that did not mean what happened to her could not be reversed with time and proper teaching. "I must not believe that, there is always hope."

_"On Coruscant she is, with Darth Sidious. His influence she cannot fight."_

"What about her father?"

Yoda sighed, _"Much darkness...worse than before; attacked, his daughter was."_

"I know, I've seen the holos." News from the Empire that was not several months old was rare on the isolated world of Sokoris. But the news shipment came early and as a result, Obi-Wan heard about the bomb that nearly killed Leia only five days after it happened.

All reports said that she pulled through just fine, but the Jedi could only imagine what Vader's reaction must have been. His destruction of the tribe of Sandpeople after his mother's death was before he had become a Sith; Obi-Wan did not want to think about what he must have done now.

_"Full of anger and fear, he is--much more unpredictable than before."_

"Master Yoda, Qui-Gon has made contact with him."

_"Know this, I do."_

Obi-Wan wondered how long Yoda had known this. He made contact with the dead Jedi's spirit long before Obi-Wan. "Do you think it will help matters?"

The Master's tone was cautious. _"Know, I do not."_

"Qui-Gon does not think he's lost."

_"Believe this, you do?"_

Obi-Wan suddenly wished that he never brought this up; it was an uncomfortable subject for him. "I do not know. How can one go so far and return?" It was one thing to try and save a child who had no choice but receive Sith teachings; it was quite another for someone who choose that life to return to the light.

_"When the Dark Side opens the door; very wide and hard to close it is. It destroys from the inside out until nothing left there is."_

"Do you think it is impossible?" He asked, not sure if he even wanted to know the answer.

_"Believe that, I must not. Little faith in the Force, I would have."_

"Do I have your blessing to try and save Leia?" If he was going to do this, it would have to be soon.

_"Have you forgotten? Do, or do not, there is no try."_

Obi-Wan could not help but smile briefly at the reminder of his early teachings. "Yes Master."

_"Bringing the children to me, you are?"_

"Yes, there is no one else who could protect them."

_"Fond of them, you are."_

"Yes," He admitted. He could not help but love them, despite all his teachings against it.

Obi-Wan expected a rebuke for having attachments, but it did not come. _"Expect your arrival soon, I will. Much you must do, but very little time you have."_

That was the only thing he was certain of. "Yes Master."

_"May the Force be with you."_

* * *

Leia was thrilled to finally be released from the MediCenter. After the attack and subsequent medical procedures, she thought she would be locked away forever. She had not been alone, her father had visited her many times but he was never one for much conversation. The Emperor had even made a couple of brief appearances, much to the annoyance of her father.

It was only a few days after she had woken up when Leia realized the extent of the media coverage surrounding the explosion. In one of her few times alone, she turned on HoloNet to find nearly constant media coverage.

There were seemingly scores of journalists and pundits on every frequency all giving many theories on what this attack meant. Leia discovered that most of the theories lined up with two major camps.

One group believed that the attack signaled desperation on the part of rebels and the bomb was a last-ditch effort to hold on to corrupt old Republic. Proponents of that theory pointed out that the explosive device was very crude which indicated that the rebels were poorly funded.

The next group proclaimed that the attack meant that the enemies of the Empire were getting bolder and a much tougher stance was needed to stamp out any resistance to the Emperor's rule. Most of those that proposed this argument usually ended it by lightly criticizing the Emperor for wanting to show restraint against Imperial enemies.

One thing the two groups did agree on was their critiquing of Lord Vader, but for completely different reasons. He was either too tough, too lenient, or a buffoon for not even being able to protect his own daughter. Some brave political pundits even gently suggested that Vader was inadequate as the leader of Imperial forces.

Leia was not certain what really happened, but she was aware enough to know that no one on HoloNet knew the real answer. Searching the Force, she found it to be stubbornly silent, but she knew enough about her father and the Emperor to know that no one outside of the Imperial palace had any clue what was really going on.

She was in the MediCenter for eight long days, but was finally released to return to the palace. Instead of dreading having to go back to the place she once feared, Leia felt much better about it. Her time with the Emperor had calmed some of those fears she had when she first arrived; but still, she preferred to be on the _Devastator_. She knew that she could never feel at home in the Imperial Palace.

It was shortly after her father left for the afternoon when Leia received a summons from the Emperor. It was not a surprise; she had spent a lot of time with him since she arrived on Imperial Center. He had taught her much--how to use to Force to control weak minds, and how to maneuver events to one's advantage.

She never shared these things with her father, but she knew that he was well aware of what she was being taught. It still angered her that he would withhold certain teaching from her, but she was glad that she was getting a chance to learn them.

After a long but familiar journey to the Emperor's private dining hall, where they had most of their meetings, she arrived and was immediately let in. Unlike the way he was with her father, Lord Sidious never made her wait.

He greeted her with a broad grin, "Hello my dear."

Leia came in the room and curtseyed. He had told that she did not have to kneel when they were not in the throne room. "Good morning Master." Sidious had never instructed her to refer to him with that title, but she always did. Her father had expressly forbid her from using any other title when speaking to the Emperor.

The Sith master was always amused by it, "I am glad to see you up and about."

"I'm happy that they finally let me leave the MediCenter."

He laughed, and pointed to a chair across from him indicating that she was to be seated. "It must have been terribly dull for you."

Leia sighed dramatically, "Yes, it was. I kept telling them that I was strong enough to leave, but they wouldn't listen. All they did was apologize and say that I had to stay there until you or my father allowed it."

"We wanted to be certain that you were well enough; your injuries were severe."

"That is what my father says--he says I was burned badly." Leia remembered clearly the pain she went through right after the explosion, but she never saw any burns. When she awoke in the MediCenter, bacta treatments had healed most of them.

"Yes, you were," the Emperor nodded regretfully.

"Just like him." The words were out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. Without thinking, she had broken another of her father's rules that he gave her about dealing with his Master._ "Most important, my daughter, never let your mind wander in his presence."_

The Sith knew who Leia was speaking of. "Not entirely, thankfully your wounds were mostly external, your father's were much worse."

"But I think that is why he got so upset...more than usual." In the time that she had known her father, she had seen him angry many times; but what she had felt from him lately terrified her to the core.

The Emperor leaned back in his chair and gave a mysterious smile. "Perhaps..."

Leia looked down to her plate and at the meal that she had not touched. Her mind was racing with questions, but one took precedence over all. "Master, how many people did he kill after the attack?"

"Why do you think he killed?"

Leia sighed and shook her head, "Because I felt it, and he admitted it after I asked; but he did not go into details."

"What did you feel?"

"When I woke up, and he was there, there was something different about him. He was even more powerful." Internally, she debated asking her next question, but it had been on her mind constantly ever since she had woken up in the MediCenter. "Does the Force make you stronger after you kill someone?"

Darth Sidious nodded, "Some would say yes...Darth Nihilus for one. He fed off of the destruction of entire worlds. With each act destruction, his power and hunger grew until he eventually fed off the Force itself."

"He had to be destroyed though; he would have consumed the entire galaxy." Leia had been well-versed in history and her father had insisted she study the past Sith Lords. Darth Nihilus had been one that stood out because of his unusual abilities.

"Yes, his power became cannibalistic in nature."

"Can that happen again?"

"Darth Nihilus was an extraordinary case."

Leia sat for a few moments letting it all sink in. "What do you believe, does killing make you stronger?"

"Why are you asking this?" Asked the Emperor.

"Both you and my father want me to be strong in the Force; I want to know if you expect me to kill to do so." As Leia learned about Sith history and teachings, that question had tormented her.

"And this distresses you."

"Of course it does!" Leia shouted, forgetting her place. "It's wrong!"

Sidious chuckled, "I see you have not forgotten all of your Alderaanian teachings, despite your father's best efforts."

The mention of Alderaan sent a pang of grief to her heart. Her father had tried to make her forget about her life there, but she remembered. However, knowing that it was counter-productive to think on such things at this moment, Leia tried to focus on her life now. "I don't want to end up like my father. I don't want to be feared and hated."

"You are not hated, my dear child, but all should fear you." The Emperor shook his head and reached out to pat the girl's hand, "It is a burden that we must accept, you must be both loved and feared. Your enemies must know that you will deal with them ruthlessly."

"Until the bombing, I didn't know I had enemies." Leia knew how childish it must have sounded, but she wondered what she had done wrong to make someone hate her enough to want her dead.

"All who are in positions of power and influence have those that covet it."

"Like you." Leia was well aware that her own father was one of those that desired the Emperor's power.

He smiled and nodded, "Yes."

Immediately, she felt Sidious' strong presence enter her mind. He had done this before, but this time he was much more intrusive and aggressive with his mental probe. He closed his eyes as he searched her mind.

Finally, his eyes opened and he took Leia's small hand in his; but his mental connection did not relent. _"Child, do you wish that you could return your life of ignorance, before you knew of the Force?"_

This was the first time that Sidious had communicated with her telepathically. Before, only her father spoke to her in such a manner. Instead of the easy mental link that Vader and Leia had forged early on, this one was very different--it felt wrong somehow.

When she did not immediately answer, the Emperor increased the pressure on the child's mind. _"Answer my question. Do not tell me that you do not enjoy the raw power that courses through your veins. You will eventually be in a position to change the destiny of trillions. Do you want to turn your back on it for a life of ease and comfort?"_

There was a part of her that wanted to abandon the Force, and the power that it afforded her. However, that part of her was small and insignificant compared to the song of the Dark Side that promised even more wonders to come. _"I can't...I won't"_

_"No, because once the Dark Side opens the door; it cannot ever be shut."_

Leia was not sure if she was thrilled or terrified by that promise._ "My father says that it is my destiny."_

It was only then that Sidious released the girl's mind and spoke aloud, "He is correct."

Leia's head was throbbing from the mental onslaught. She rubbed her temples to try and ease the pain. All she wanted now was to sleep. "Master, are you going to train me today?"

The Emperor then laughed, "I just did, here ends today's lesson."


	27. Chapter 27

_Author's Note:_ Yes, I know it's been a VERY long time. A bunch of stuff has been going on and I haven't had much time. So, here's chapter 27, I hope you all like it and you think it was worth the wait. It's an all Alderaan chapter. I need to move that storyline along before returning back to Coruscant with Vader, Leia, and the Emperor. Thank you for all of your support and kind words. Hopefully the next chapter will not take as long.

_**Chapter 27:**_

It had been nearly two long years since Breha had met Governor Malix, and in that time she had to endure many face to face meetings with him. Over time, she had gained more insight on how to deal with his more extreme personality quirks. She learned that it was not useful to fight every battle with him; it did little good and was driving her to madness. Still, there were times when she had to speak up and risk one of Malix's outbursts--today was one of them.

It was not unusual for her and Malix to share meals together, especially breakfast. It was something he began insisting on months ago. Mercifully, it was usually only once or twice per week. Breha did not think she could handle any more.

When the governor's sister and niece arrived on Alderaan several weeks back, they had begun joining them for breakfast. Malix seemed to have this incessant need for Breha and his sister to become friends, but she kept her distance. While Lissa Malix seemed pleasant enough, and very much unlike her brother, the queen did not want to give the governor any more fuel to his delusion that they were all one big happy family.

Breakfast that day began just like the others. She arrived to find Malix questioning his niece about what she thought about the Emperor's latest speech. The girl and her mother appeared very grateful for Breha's interruption, but quickly schooled their features to mask their relived looks.

As usual, Malix controlled the conversation. The topics came and went so quickly that Breha could barely keep up. It was all she could do to feign interest. However, the queen's interest was immediately stirred with these words, _"I hear your little handmaiden is providing much entertainment for Moff Terik."_

What followed was one of the most disturbing conversations she had ever had. Malix laid out, in horrific detail, the stories he had heard from Terik himself regarding his supposed "time" with Zara. When Breha loudly refuted those notions, the governor only laughed and said that he saw her himself being escorted around the palace by him.

She immediately demanded that Terik be placed under arrest; she knew that Zara would never willingly be with that man. Malix just laughed again and told her that maybe she did not know her handmaiden as well as she thought.

For several hours after breakfast, Breha wrestled with what she was told. She finally called for Zara to come to her; she had to know the truth.

When she arrived, the first thing the queen noticed was how thin her handmaiden looked. She could not believe she did not notice it before. As Zara came closer, she realized she was not only thin, her face was pale and almost gaunt in appearance. In addition, there were dark circles under her eyes that indicated a severe lack of sleep. Breha knew the look very well, until recently it was the same image that greeted her every time she herself looked in the mirror.

Even though Zara appeared very weak, she still made a great effort to hide it as she came up to Breha and curtsied. "My Queen, you called for me."

Initially, Breha was going to begin their conversation on another subject, maybe ask her how the preparations for their trip to Coruscant were coming along; but she felt that she owed her friend complete honesty. She decided to come right out and say it, "I've heard some things...things that disturb me greatly."

Zara's eyes widened in surprise, "What things?"

"Malix told me over breakfast today that he saw you with Moff Terik..." Breha hesitated, it was very difficult for her to say the words. "And you were returning from his suite."

The handmaiden gave a shocked gasp and immediately turned away. "I..."

Breha knew Zara enough to know that if there were no credence to the story she would immediately deny it. The queen had to fight to hold back her tears, "Did he force you?"

The handmaiden shook her head but still refused to meet Breha's gaze, "No...it's not what you think."

"Zara, if he did something to you..."

She again shook her head, "He didn't."

"Is it all a lie? I can't help you if you don't tell me everything."

The handmaiden's breath caught as if she was holding back a sob. "It's...it's a personal matter," she stammered.

Breha shook her head, "I've known you since we were teenagers, and I don't believe you would willingly get into the bed of a man such as him."

Zara turned back to the queen, "He did not rape me."

"Something is very wrong here. You have never lied to me, but I cannot believe this is true." Breha felt her own emotional control beginning to crumble, "Either you are not the person I thought you were, or you are lying to me to protect something, or someone." She was not certain which was more disturbing.

"I have not betrayed you, please believe me."

"I really want to, but unless you tell me something else..."

Zara stared in shock and looked as if the queen had just slapped her, "You would trust Malix over me!" This was the first time that she had ever broken protocol and raised her voice to Breha.

"Then tell me it's a lie!" She shouted as her tears began to fall. "Tell me that it isn't what it appears to be! Tell me something."

The handmaiden again turned away, "It is...a personal...matter," she sobbed.

The queen then embraced her friend, "I'm so sorry; I'm sorry it has come to this," she whispered. "Say the word, Zara, and I'll release you from my service and have you taken back to your family's home. You no longer have any duty to me."

"I don't want to leave you," she pleaded.

Breha's mind was racing with all the possible ways she could help her friend, but the only thing she could think of that would truly help her was to dismiss her and send her far away.

She loved Zara so much and did not know what she would have done without her unwavering support through the darkest period of her life and the prospect of life without her friend seemed unthinkable. She was the one constant in her life; the one thing that never changed when all around her everything else had been shaken and destroyed. Zara was truly the last person in her life that that the Empire had not destroyed.

However, as she was reminded of the other woman's frail body and gaunt appearance, it was abundantly clear to the queen that she was in the process of being destroyed from the inside out; and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Breha inwardly cursed her selfishness for not dismissing Zara when she had let go the other handmaidens. "I don't want anything to happen to you; and I fear it will the longer you are around me."

* * *

Fius Malix breathed a sigh of relief has he watched from his office window the first shuttles depart the palace. He normally enjoyed having guests, but lately the two dozen Imperial officials that he invited weeks ago to vacation on Alderaan were becoming much more trouble than they were worth.

The endless social events were becoming tiresome and he could see that Breha and Lissa were feeling the strain as well. It was past time for his guests to leave so preparations could be made for Empire Day. There was much that needed to be done.

Empire Day was a time of celebration of everything it meant to be a citizen of the Empire. For a week, the entire planet had a festival atmosphere that was second to none. The highlight of the celebration, at least for Malix, was Emperor Palpatine's speech. His Excellency was the most inspiring speaker that he had ever heard. No one, even the Emperor's critics, could deny the power of that man's voice. It always made Fius proud to be part of the Emperor's grand vision.

However, this year was very different than before. The shadow of Leia Vader's attempted assassination loomed over him. Every day, he received inquiries on his progress in finding those connected to those who orchestrated the attempt; but there was little Malix could report.

Even though Malix had been told by Imperial Intelligence that the plot was hatched on Alderaan, nothing had been found to support such a claim. Many Alderaanian malcontents had been arrested and interrogated, but little had been discovered that connected any of them to any off-world rebellions. Most of them were only students who wanted to make trouble by staging small protest marches.

While their executions served as a warning to the rest of the populace to stay in line, Malix knew it would not be enough to satisfy Imperial authorities. He feared what would happen when the Emperor and Vader patience came to an end. It would be the end of him, Breha, and anyone else connected with his government--maybe even his beloved sister and niece.

Malix sat down at his desk and picked up one of several dozen datapads that were strewn over his desk. This one held the profile of Doran Melkor, a trader of bacta and other medical supplies from Quellor, who had been spotted on Alderaan recently. The governor's own intelligence network highlighted him as a person of interest, but further investigation revealed it to be a dead-end. Malix did not even bother bringing him in for questioning.

He had hoped to have something definite by Empire day, but the trail had gone cold. It appeared that he would have to return to Imperial Center empty handed and that was not a position he wanted to be in.

Malix's thoughts were interrupted by the voice of one of his guards coming through his office comlink, _"Governor Malix, I'm sorry to disturb you but you have a visitor."_

"Who is it?" His mood brightened at the thought that it might be Breha. She was due to meet him later in the day; but there had been times when she arrived early.

_"It is Governor Terik."_

Malix's good mood disappeared, "What does he want?" There was not an Imperial official he wanted to leave Alderaan more than that man. He was useful for forging political alliances; but personally, Fius could barely stand to be around him. He also did not trust him around those he loved.

"He is insisting on thanking you personally for your hospitality."

He sighed, "Very well, let him in."

Malix put on his best political smile as his office door opened, "Elan, I hear you are leaving us."

Moff Terik swept into the room in his usual over-the-top manner, "You know what it's like Fius, the business of governing does continue. I must head for Imperial Center to prepare for Empire Day."

Malix frowned, "You aren't returning to Okaru first?"

Without being invited, Terik sat down in one of the chairs close to the desk, "I am receiving daily reports. The natives have been quite peaceful lately; no rebellions to date."

A shot of hate coursed through Fius' body. Terik was not what he would call a model Imperial governor. While Malix worked almost constantly and got nothing but resistance from the people he ruled and criticism from Imperial authorities, Terik spent most of his time perusing the pleasures of the flesh and his subjects never seemed to cause any problems. It infuriated Malix that this ridiculous man got more accolades from the Empire than he did.

"I would be more vigilant, if I were you," Fius muttered with clenched teeth.

Terik head shot back in laughter, "You are vigilant enough for the entire Moff council; there is little I need to worry about. The Empire can sleep peacefully knowing that you are there to watch over it," he mocked.

"I am serious, my friend. I would not allow your outside interests to distract you--like the company of your newest whore." Malix spat with barely concealed disgust. While finding out that Zara had willingly got into Terik's bed amused him greatly...and provided a very convenient way of putting a wedge between Breha and her handmaiden; he wanted a much worse fate for the woman who had quickly become a thorn in his side.

"You know Fius, the whore does have a name," Terik chuckled.

"Ah, she must have special talents; you never remember their names."

"I must admit, she is quickly becoming my favorite. These Alderaanians are a special breed."

Malix instantly thought of his own beloved, "Some of them are, but not the handmaiden. She is only a worthless servant, and one that needs to learn her place."

Terik rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Malix, I've heard this from you before, what is this obsession with killing this woman?"

This was not the first time that he had confessed his hatred of Zara to Terik. "She is Breha's last link to her old life; once her influence is removed she will accept her new life!" Malix growled.

"Killing her handmaiden is not going to make the queen love and adore you."

"Accidents happen." Fius then leaned back in his chair and a smile crossed his face as he thought of a possible solution, "If during your time with her she happens to end up dead; there might be a few credits in it for you."

"What a waste, she's quite useful to me," Terik grinned. "Besides, you know I never bloody my _own_ hands."

"I'm sure she is very...useful...to you, but she's only good to me dead." Malix then leaned in toward the other man, "If I were you, I would make your last visit with her a special one; it may be the last time you see her."

Terik shook his head and laughed, "You know Fius, if she bothers you that much I can always take her with me and get her out of your hair."

Malix paused to consider the possibility. "You would have to convince the handmaiden to go by her own free will; that is the only way it will be useful for me."

He knew if Zara chose leaving with Terik over staying in Breha's service it would cause a rift between them and have practically the same effect as if the handmaiden was dead. "If you insist on wanting to keep her; see what you can do to convince her to go with you."

* * *

Zara wiped her tears as she strode purposefully to the guest wing of the palace. Her previous conversation with the queen had left her angry, upset, and bordering on homicidal.

After leaving the queen, the handmaiden immediately knew what she had to do. Even though she knew how it would be perceived by those who saw her approach his suite, she no longer cared. She no longer had a reputation to protect.

Ever since Moff Terik came into her life, he had made it much more complicated. He was always there, it seemed. While the Moff had gotten her out of some tight situations with Malix, she had no idea the game he was playing.

Whatever his purpose of his games, they had to stop now. When she reached Terik's suite, she pressed the door chime several time and pounded on the door. It was not long before it opened to find a very amused looking Moff on the other side.

He grinned, "This is unexpected.

"Let me in."

"...and forward," Terik laughed.

"Stop it!" She shouted. Zara did not think she had ever been so angry and belligerent; it was all she could do to not smack that smile off his face.

"You do realize how this looks."

Zara felt her heart constrict; she knew exactly how it looked. Glancing around, she noticed that they were not alone in the long hallway that led to Terik's suite. As the other Imperial guests were preparing to leave, the entire wing of the palace was full of activity, and the anger of the handmaiden made great entertainment to the other government officials and their staff.

She turned back to the Moff and spoke quietly, but not softly, "It doesn't matter anymore; My Lady already thinks I'm a whore. It really cannot get any worse."

Terik's grin faltered only momentarily, before it quickly returned. With a mocking sweep of his hands, he indicated that she was welcome to come in.

Immediately, Zara was afraid. In her anger, she never really thought through the possibility of actually entering the man's suite...alone. Before, she had only been with him in public rooms of the palace, so the thought of being in the notorious Moff's private space filled the handmaiden with unspeakable dread. She knew the stories about him and she had heard the things he had said during the many dinners and balls she had accompanied the queen to.

She knew that something horrible could happen to her, but she also knew that Terik had protected her from Malix. Those two seemingly contradictory natures were something Zara had pondered many times since she had known the Moff; but so far could not come up with any answers.

With Terik still waiting expectantly, she knew she had to make a decision soon. The onlookers were getting more numerous.

Breathing a prayer of safety, the handmaiden quickly brushed by the man and entered his suite. When the door behind her shut, she waited a few moments before turning around. Zara did not think she could handle that amused grin of his.

When she finally did turn around she was surprised to see it completely removed from his face and his haughty demeanor was gone. It was as if a different man stood before her. This was not the first time that she had seen this sudden switch of personalities, but never this pronounced.

Terik walked up closer to Zara. "I doubt she thinks you are a whore."

She did not know what to expect from their conversation, but it was not this. "Oh really, Malix has been telling her all about our supposed trysts."

Terik sighed, "Did you come here to demand an apology? If so, you are wasting your breath. I saved your life."

"My life is no concern of yours."

He then smiled, "I beg to differ, my dear. I am heavily invested in what happens to you. Why do you think I'm here, because I enjoy your governor's company?"

"Then tell me, why are you here?"

He reached out and took her hand, "Because you, Zara Naedan, are in far more danger than you think. Doran Melkor has not been telling you the entire truth."

The handmaiden felt her heart skip a beat with the mention of that name. "Who?"

Terik shook his head, "Zara, if you are going to survive being in the Rebellion, you are going to have to learn how to lie much better than that."

"What Rebellion?" She knew her denials sounded weak, but she could not stop the sudden rush of panic to think clearly.

Terik gave a bitter laugh and sighed, "The correct response is, 'You are accusing me of treason against our glorious Emperor? How dare you!'You see, something with a little passion and conviction." He then used his other hand to tilt her head to face him. "Oh, and try to look me in the eye next time."

Zara could not believe what she was hearing, "Are you drunk?"

He laughed again, "That's a little better, but still weak. Try it again."

"I don't believe this!" She turned to leave; all she wanted to do was run away. However, her flight was stopped by a strong hand grasping her arm.

"You went a bit too far with that one, passion is one thing but you are bordering on hysterics--not a good way to keep your cover secure," Terik chuckled.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to teach you the skills that will one day save your life. I would heed my words, if I were you." His expression then became deadly serious. "Swear an oath to the Emperor."

Zara felt as if her head was swimming. Her heart was beating ferociously, and she felt her legs shaking. "What?"

Terik then grasped her other arm and bent down until he was just inches from her the handmaiden's face. "Say the words, my dear...practice them over and over again until they become second nature. If you intend to stay in your Queen's service, under cover, they must be easy for you to say."

Zara felt all her strength leave her body. She received no training for her clandestine assignment and she felt wholly unprepared for a situation such as this. "I have to leave," Zara whispered.

Ignoring her muttered plea, Terik wordlessly led the handmaiden toward a couch at the other end of the guest suite and had her sit. He then turned around and began to lightly pace the room. For the first time since Zara had known him, the man did not appear fully sure of himself.

Finally, he turned to face the woman, "You are Zara Naedan, Handmaiden to Her Royal Highness, Queen Breha Organa of Alderaan; the same Breha Organa whose husband recruited me for very special mission several years ago."

"Mission?"

Terik nodded and sat down next to her. "I grew up in a family that was very politically connected. My father was in the Republic Senate, so was my grandmother. When Palpatine became Supreme Chancellor, my father was one of his most ardent supporters, and our family benefitted greatly from it."

This much Zara knew already. Before Malix's guest arrived, she researched each of them in hopes of preparing the queen for what she might have to deal with during their time at the palace. Moff Terik's origins were similar to the others--extremely rich and very well-connected to Coruscant high society.

He continued, "I was the youngest in my family, and I must admit that I was a little spoiled. During my twenties, as Palpatine's grip grew tighter on the Republic, I spent most of my time spending my family's money to indulge my passions, to put it mildly. Most of my twenties are a haze of alcohol, spice and women." He then gave Zara a mischievous smile, "...a whole lot of women."

She rolled her eyes, "Could we move on, please?"

Terik grinned briefly at Zara's annoyance, but the moment was over very soon. His tone became serious again, "Then the war came. I don't know if it was what changed me, or if it was that I simply grew up."

"You changed?" The handmaiden did not know what to think. She knew that there was not reason for her to believe anything this man said, but she could not help but be drawn in.

"Not in the way my family wanted." Terik answered. "When I finally sobered up, my eyes were opened and I saw clearly what was happening to the Republic. Little by little it was turning into a dictatorship. When I expressed these things to my father, he warned me to never speak such things."

He then stood and began pacing again. "I thought either the Republic had gone insane, or I had. I couldn't believe no one could see what was happening right in front of their eyes. It was only until I met Bail Organa that I realized that I wasn't the only one."

Zara could not imagine someone such as Terik being associated with Bail Organa. Her first reaction was to accuse him of lying, but something made her stop when she caught Terik's eyes. She could see what appeared to be true sadness cross them at the mention of the martyred senator.

"He became a second father to me, but warned me to never let anyone know of our friendship. It was only until later that I learned why."

"Why?"

"Because he had something special in mind for me," he answered. "The Senator could see that Palpatine could not be controlled. He was too popular and the Jedi were too busy fighting the war to deal with what was happening to the Republic. He told me to focus on moving up in the governmental hierarchy, and I did. A few years after the Empire was formed I used my political influence to secure a position as a Moff."

"You are a spy," Zara sneered. The idea that Moff Terik was a Rebel spy seemed absurd. "Your reputation...it's so..."

"Well crafted." He finished with a proud grin.

"I was going to say disgusting. The things you've said..." During the times in which she had seen him in public with the other Imperial officials, one of Terik's favorite things to do, it seemed, was to share very detailed stories of his many conquests. The other guests barely tolerated him and many times they would go out of their way to avoid his incessant chatter, especially women.

Zara noticed that even her own governor was not overly fond of the man. At a brunch a few days ago, Terik struck up a conversation with Nora, Malix's teenage niece. When he saw it, Malix immediately crossed the room and quickly led the girl away from him.

Terik nodded, "It's all to keep up the illusion. My reputation as the playboy politician whose devotion to the Emperor is barely above my unquenchable desire for the company of women is something I've worked very hard to maintain."

"So, none of it is true?"

He shrugged, "I do enjoy the company of women...I am a single man; but not as many as the tabloid holo-reporters claim."

Zara shook her head, "It's not just that, I've heard you say horrific things." When he was not bragging about his exploits with women, Terik spoke of the Empire's greatest atrocities with a kind of amused indifference that shook the handmaiden to the core.

She once heard him and Moff Pre'Lot compare the various the various execution methods the Empire employed and they even argued for nearly a half hour over whether or not the family of a traitor to the Emperor should receive the death penalty along with the accused.

Pre'Lot's position was that a traitor's entire immediate family should be executed as the ultimate deterrent. Terik did take the somewhat more moderate position. He argued that only the spouse and any children over the age of twelve should share in the death penalty, but the rest of the family should be sent to a long-term prison facility.

"It's part of the character of Moff Terik. I would not have survived as an Imperial Governor if I did not play this role." Terik again sat down next to Zara. "But enough about me, let's talk about the role you are playing."

Zara shook her head, "I don't know what you are talking about." She knew her denials sounded even weaker than before.

"I know all about Doran Melkor and the job he gave you."

"I..."

Terik placed one of his fingers on Zara's lips, "Don't waste your breath denying it; just listen. Melkor told you that the Rebellion wanted you to keep an eye on Malix so they find a way to help the queen. Only half of that is true. They want you here to keep an eye on the governor, but they have no intention of helping your queen."

Zara immediately jumped up from the couch in outrage, "You lie!"

Terik stood to face her, "You were not told the complete truth; they saw an opportunity and they took it." He then sighed and shook his head. "I don't really blame them, but they chose the wrong person to be their operative. You don't belong anywhere near this business."

"Why do you say that?"

The governor then gently grasped Zara's hands and brought her closer to him. "Because you just gave yourself away to me when I told you that Melkor was lying to you. Your anger caused you to avow knowledge of him." He then sighed, "It does not matter that I confessed to you my secrets, you should have continued to pretend you didn't know who he was."

Zara felt like she was being crushed by the weight of her own failure. She wanted to cry, but she was too emotionally and physically weary for that--several months of very little sleep had taken its brutal toll on her body. "I'm so tired of these games," she whispered. She still was not sure if Terik was a friend or foe, but it did not matter now

Terik nodded, "I know. Among other reasons, the Rebellion sent me here to keep an eye on you and report how you are doing with your assignment. So far, I cannot give them a good report."

"None of it is about the queen?" This was Zara's greatest fear come to life. From her conversations with Doran, she had noticed that he focused little on ways the Rebellion was helping the queen, but more on Malix's activities. Her activities had mainly consisted of slicing and transmitting certain financial and offworld communication records.

She had noticed that Doran had become increasingly agitated every time she asked how financial records helped the queen get out from under Malix's grasp. As time wore on, her suspicions that she was being strung along had grown exponentially. However, suspecting she was being used was far worse than knowing it.

Terik paused for a few moments to let what he was saying sink in. Reluctantly, he continued. "We tried, we really did, but she's a lost cause. Malix will never let her go, and rescuing her from this planet will give us exposure that we cannot afford right now. I'm sorry, but she's a casualty."

"What is to become of her?" She asked with eyes full of unshed tears.

"Eventually she'll marry Malix and either convince herself that she loves him or live a very miserable life as his wife."

Zara shook her head, "She would never do that." There was little that the handmaiden could count on in the galaxy, but one of them was the honor of the queen. "She would never willingly join herself to such a man."

"Or he'll kill her, those will be her only choices. I've heard how he speaks of her, his obsession will fully manifest very soon."

"I have to do something." Her words sounded as empty as she felt."

"There is nothing you can do. Your queen loves you very much; you are like a sister to her. How do you think she'll feel if you are killed? Becoming a martyr will not help her."

Terik placed his hands on Zara's shoulders and brought her even closer. "I've heard what Malix says about you when the queen is not around. As much as he has convinced himself that he loves the queen, he hates you with the same passion. He sees you as an obstacle to be removed."

He hesitated momentarily as he struggled to find the right words. "He even told me how he plans to kill you; trust me, you would be better off with Lord Vader."

Zara would have been lying to Terik and herself if she claimed she was not afraid of what Malix could do to her, and her family. She had seen the way the governor looked at her; the hate he had for her was tangible. Still, she had a duty to her friend. "I can't quit now."

Terik refused to relent, "Come with me, back to my world."

The handmaiden looked away; she could feel her resolve crumbling. Even though she did not trust this man, she could not deny that the idea of getting away from all of this did appeal to her; but she stood firm. "No."

"I can force the matter," he warned. "I can tell Malix that I want you to come with me."

Zara was not certain if Terik was bluffing. She was painfully aware that if Malix agreed to let the other Moff take her off-world, there was very little she could do about it. The law gave them almost absolute authority in the territories they governed.

However, the handmaiden knew of one thing that could prevent Malix from allowing Terik to take her by force. "The queen would protest. At worst she thinks you are a rapist, at best she thinks you have brainwashed me."

"Very soon, my dear handmaiden, there will come a day when her protests will not matter to Malix at all," Terik warned. "Please find me before that day comes; I promise you, without my help you will not survive it. The queen might, but you will not."

That much Zara knew with painful certainty. She broke away from Terik and turned toward the door. "I must leave."

He then gently reached out and turned her to face him again. "Think about what I said. I know you are going to Coruscant for Empire Day; I will be there as well. I will not be hard to find if you need me for anything. Just send a message via one of my aides."

"They will think the worst," Zara whispered. She knew, in the grand scheme of things, her reputation should not have been something she was concerned about; but Zara could not help it. If she sent a message to one of his aids, she could even become fodder for the gossip columnists and the queen would think even worse of her.

Terik nodded, "Yes they will. Can you promise me that you'll think about what I said?"

"I promise."


	28. Chapter 28

_**Chapter 28:**_

It was midnight in Coruscant's vast governmental sector and Mon Mothma was alone. Being outside in the middle of the night on the Imperial capital was not ideal. Even with the increased security the governmental sector offered, much could happen to a woman alone at night, especially one of her position. Normally, she would have taken along her bodyguards, but even those she trusted with her life could not be trusted with her greatest secret.

Being a member of the Rebellion was dangerous and the more that knew about it, the more dangerous it became. Mon could not even trust her family and closes friends with this knowledge. She, and those few who joined this cause, were alone in this and it had to remain such for a very long time.

Checking her chrono, Senator Mothma sighed in annoyance. The rebellion operative she was meeting was supposed to have arrived over an hour ago. Mon did not want to think that he had been captured. Doran Melkor knew too much about the Rebellion's covert operatives that were in key places throughout the Empire. If he was captured and interrogated, the activities he coordinated would be brought to harsh Imperial light. It would surely be the final deathblow to the rapidly fading organization.

What started out as an idealistic secret crusade against the Emperor's tyranny had descended into a squabbling, loose confederation of beings with different strategies and goals. The unity that once was there was long gone. Bail Organa's sudden death had changed the organization. Mon hoped that they could carry on without him, but that faded with each passing day.

Every day, it seemed, the galaxy went deeper and deeper into the Emperor's tight clutches. The most maddening thing about it was that the subjects of the Empire seemed to be completely oblivious to the tyranny. Mon wondered, when the time came to turn their secret organization into an outright public rebellion, would anyone join them; or were they too comfortable in their chains.

Mon shook her head to dispel her increasingly dark thoughts. She could not afford to let this kind of thinking poison her mind. It would destroy her and what remained of the organization she helped to found along with it. She had to be strong.

She turned quickly when she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Being in this area at night was not only dangerous because of the criminals but Imperial spies and military drones also infested the massive city. There were no true safe places that rebellion business could be done, but this out of the way public square in the middle of the night was the least dangerous. It was the best the struggling organization could do.

The senator breathed a sigh of relief when she saw who was approaching, "You are late; I've been here for nearly an hour."

Doran Melkor frowned regretfully, "I apologize Senator Mothma; my ship was searched before I could land."

"They've been doing more of that lately, especially since the _Devastator_ is orbiting." Mon could not wait until Vader's ship was far away from the capital. His presence made the Imperial military stationed on Coruscant more inspired to excellence and initiative. "Are you certain they are never going to find anything?"

Doran grinned, "I am but a humble tradesman--a seller of medical supplies."

Mon glared at him. She was in no mood for this man's arrogance. While he was one of the best operatives that they had, he still annoyed the senator to no end. "Best be certain that's all they ever know."

Not wanting to give him a chance to retort, she got to the point of their meeting. "How was your trip?"

"Successful as always," he answered with his usual flare for the dramatic.

"Did you stop by Alderaan?"

Doran's smile vanished immediately. "Yes."

"Anything to report?"

His voice was grave, "Our operative is...troubled. I believe she is beginning to grow suspicious of our intentions." It was customary to never give names when discussing rebellion activities so as to not put their people in any further risk in case someone was listening.

Mon closed her eyes to try to banish a sudden wave of emotion. Alderaan was a source of much debate within the secret organization. While many wanted to honor Bail Organa's memory by trying to help his wife get out of a very bad situation, others saw it as an unnecessary risk. After months of doing what they could to discredit Moff Malix in hopes he would be reassigned, nothing worked. They eventually learned, for reasons no one could tell, that the Emperor had personally assigned this man. There was nothing a bunch of essentially powerless senators could do to change it. Over time, the rebellion made a decision to abandon their efforts and consider Breha Organa another casualty.

"We cannot keep lying to her." One of the worst parts about the whole thing was Doran Melkor's insistence of keeping Zara Naedan as an undercover operative on Alderaan. He let her believe that they were still working to help the queen.

Doran shook his head; this was not a new topic of conversation between them. "If we tell her the truth, we'll lose her completely."

Mon sighed, "I just wonder if having an operative just to keep an eye on Malix's activities is worth the risk." The senator was not so naïve that she believed only information about the governor was being gleaned. She knew that he was getting information about the queen as well. A decision was made by other rebellion senators, one that overruled her lone objection, to treat the queen of Alderaan as any other planetary ruler under Imperial control--with much suspicion. Mon wondered what Bail would have to say about it if he were here. Would he even recognize the organization that he helped to found?

"We have people close to almost every Imperial Moff, and those around them. They give us valuable information. What our operative on Alderaan has already given us has been useful."

Malix was a brutal tyrant, but he was also a brilliant politician. He knew how to forge alliances with other governors and planetary leaders like no other. Through the financial and communication records they had received from the handmaiden, the rebel senators had discovered which planetary officials they could trust. If Moff Malix spoke to them, or sent them credits, on a regular basis, it was safe to assume they could not be trusted. "I just hate the pretense." Even though she knew the handmaiden gave them valuable information, she always felt unclean by misleading her so much.

"We did try, Senator Mothma. We did try to help the queen, but it is..."

"Impossible," she interrupted. "I know that." Mon did not want to be reminded of yet another of her failures.

"I feel should let you know, I received a formal complaint from our deep cover operative. He believes our Alderaan operative is unqualified for the job we gave her, and that we're putting her in unnecessary risk."

Mon nodded gravely, "I know, he sent me a coded message this morning."

Doran hesitated for a moment as if he was figuring out the best way to proceed. "Senator, is he going to be a problem for us?"

"He has been with us since the beginning."

"Yes, but if he's beginning to second-guess our decisions, how useful can he be? Also, what's to say he's not going to go native...so to speak?" Doran Melkor was not the first of the rebels to express doubts about Elan Terick. While the Moff was considered their most important undercover operative, many had fears that the power he had, and the benefits associated with that power, would override any sense of loyalty he has to their cause. It was pointed out by many senators that the governor was almost too good at playing the role of the cruel and power-intoxicated Moff.

"Bail Organa trusted him completely, and so do I." It was her standard response to anyone who questioned Terik's loyalty and she was tired of giving it. The martyred senator was the best judge of character that Mon had ever known.

Melkor again paused to collect his thoughts. He appeared to be dreading what he was about to say. "Senator, with all due respect, Bail Organa is the reason why our organization is in the condition that it's in right now."

It took a few seconds for the exhausted senator to process what the man said. She stared at him with stunned disbelief. Something inside her snapped as she found her voice. "How dare you!"

Doran put up his hands as a gesture of peace. He could see how enraged she was at him. "It is the truth, if you would look at it objectively." He explained quickly, "The Senator decided to take in the child of Darth Vader himself, not thinking that doing so would destroy everything we accomplished once his secret was inevitably discovered. Did he honestly think he could hide her forever?"

It took all of Mon Mothma's self-control to not take a swing at him. "Princess Leia had nothing to do with us," she spat, making sure to stress the use of the girl's former title.

Melkor shook his head, "Ever since Bail's Organa's execution, some of our most highly placed associates have been captured and revealed very sensitive information--Information that would not have been discovered if the senator would have been content to stay far away from the spawn of Darth Vader."

Mon did not remember the last time she was so angry. This man not only had the audacity to speak of Senator Organa in such terms, but to also say such horrible things about the child that he loved so much. "Don't speak about her that way. She is a child--a victim in all of this." She did not know what road led Bail Organa to taking in Darth Vader's child as his own, but she was certain he had a very good reason.

Even though he knew he was treading on very dangerous ground, Doran continued. "She is one of the most effective mouthpieces for Imperial propaganda I have ever seen, especially for the young. Even _my_ own children are enthralled by her. How long are we going to treat her as a victim, and not like the Imperial agent that she truly is? At what age?"

Mon's mind began to sound warnings. While this was not the first time she had heard concerns about Leia's future role in the Empire from her rebel colleagues, this was the first time she had heard it in such a manner. "What are you saying?"

He then turned away from the senator, "I'm tired of feeling sorry for her."

Something about his tone terrified Mon Mothma to the core. She would not let him dismiss what he said so easily. "Doran, look at me. Do you have any connection to the militants that set that bomb off that nearly killed Leia?"

He turned his head sharply back to the senator."No, of course not."

"She is a child and did not deserve this, despite the sins of her father."

Doran sighed, "When she gets older and begins doing the same things her father does, we might be wishing these militants were better bomb makers."

Mon was so angry she was nearly sick. "How dare you say that!"

"I'm not the only one who does, Senator, things have changed."

Senator Mothma's nausea increased. She wondered who these others were that were among them that had been speaking in such a manner. "I won't allow this, not in an organization I'm helping to lead. We are not terrorists."

Doran shook his head, "I don't believe it was any of our people who were involved in the assassination attempt."

"But you agree with their goals. I won't have it!" She nearly shouted, barely mindful that they were in a public area.

"Senator, you are not the only leader of this organization. With the original delegation of two thousand either scattering or being arrested, and others replacing them; those early ideals are also being replaced as well." He paused to let his final words take effect. "One more consequence of Bail Organa's loss."

************************************************************************

There was a certain comfort in knowing you are owned. A slave is only concerned with doing the will of his master, nothing more. A slave is fed, clothed, and provided for by his owner. Free men have to be concerned with such things, but not a slave. If he does his master's will, he is rewarded, if he does not, the slave is punished. It is a simple and uncomplicated life, if he does not long for anything more. Only then, when the slave begins to question his lot in life, do things quickly become very complicated. Bade Nilor did not want a complicated life, but it somehow had become so.

Over the last few days, the professor had spent much of his time wondering when he became Palpatine's slave. He first thought it was only after the Emperor threatened his family that he was bound; but further consideration revealed to him that it had been far longer than that. He had been the servant of this man since he had met him all those years ago…when the young and ambitious Bade Nilor met someone even more ambitious than himself. He believed, at first, that he was using Palpatine for his own gain. He quickly learned that was light years away from the truth.

Bade learned early on that a friendship with Palpatine did have benefits. His family was politically connected and far wealthier than the Bade's own, and being seen as connected with him gave him many more advantages than he would have had with only the Nilor's wealth and influence. While Naboo ideals dictated that only an individual's character, intelligence, and judgment made one worthy of success, the reality was, for the most part, much more cynical.

It was not just Palpatine's wealth that made him a rising star in Naboo politics. It was something that the young Bade could never put his finger on. When he spoke, people were almost enthralled by his voice, so much so that he could convince almost anyone to do anything he asked. For reasons Bade could never fully understand until years later, he himself seemed immune to it. He wondered why no one could see what Palpatine was doing.

However, it did not matter to him. Palpatine's scheming not only secured himself a bright future, but a very bright future for Bade even when he decided to leave politics behind and work in academia. As the years passed, a friendship with Palpatine meant open doors for teaching positions at top universities all throughout the Republic.

It was twenty years after he met Palpatine that he learned the man's true nature. On what seemed like a whim, the then Senator Palpatine demonstrated his powers to Bade. He never was told the source of his abilities and their limits, but what he saw frightened the Professor to the very core. He wanted to run and forget he ever met the man, but it was impossible. A friendship with Palpatine, as he was reminded, could not be broken so easily. He warned Bade that he could take his position away from him in an instant, and Bade's greed and fear of failure could not allow that.

What he did not know then, was that there was far more than a position that Bade could stand to lose. In his last conversation with the Emperor, he learned just how quickly his loved ones could be taken as well. He realized then, what his younger self could not see all those years ago, was that a friendship with Palpatine costs the most precious thing of all, freedom.

Bade Nilor realized was a slave the moment he met Palpatine, and he was bought for a very cheap price. However, while a stellar career and political influence was what bought him, the fear of losing his family, the only thing good in his life, was what kept him.

As he was brooding over his and his family's grim fate, the bedroom door opened and his wife came in; she handed him a cup of tea. "How are you feeling?" Since his return, Ayumi Nilor had not ceased to fret over her husband. She was all the time bringing him something to eat or drink.

Bade could barely look at her. He could not bear to see her smiling face when he knew the danger his choices had put her in. The worst part was that she had no idea just what kind of death sentence hung over her head. "About the same as I was a half hour ago, just fine," he spat. He did not want his wife's sympathy or concern. He knew he did not deserve it.

Ayumi was taken aback by her husband's sudden vitriol. "Forgive me for being concerned."

The hurt expression on Ayumi's face, made him immediately regret his tone. As she was about to leave the room, Bade called out to her, "I'm sorry; I didn't mean it that way," he sighed, "I appreciate your concern very much."

She nodded and touched his forehead, "You still look pale. Please let me call a medic."

Ever since he had been returned home, his wife had insisted many times to either take him to a medical center or let her call a medic. He could not tell her that he had received the finest care in the entire galaxy when the Emperor ordered him treated by his personal medical droid; but if he told her that, he would have to explain to her the reason he was treated. He could not tell his beloved what torture he endured while he was Vader's prisoner. "No Ayumi, I'm fine."

She then sat down in the chair beside him and took his hand, "You don't look fine; and you aren't acting fine. Bade Nilor, I know you far better than you think." Ayumi paused for a moment, Bade could tell she was fighting to control her emotions. "What happened to you when you were in that cell?"

He wished she would stop asking this question. Bade knew she could not handle the truth. "Nothing, I was only held for questioning."

Ayumi shook her head, "I don't believe you. The Emperor said that Vader was overzealous and…"

Immediately, it was as if alarm bells sounded in his head. He held up a hand to stop her talking, "You actually spoke to the Emperor."

She nodded, "Yes, I told you, he gave me a communication device to his personal frequency."

"I know that, but I assumed you spoke to a subordinate."

"I did at first, but after I left the message he contacted me personally." Ayumi then smiled, "He was very concerned for you and was upset at what Lord Vader had done."

"Really?" Bade had to remind himself to breathe. The last thing he wanted was Palpatine speaking to his wife. The Emperor all but admitted he had mentally controlled her in the past, the purpose of which, he was far too terrified to ask.

"Oh yes, he said he would fix it as soon as he was able."

"When did you contact him?" Bade had to use all of his self control to not be harsh with his questioning. If he indicated any disapproval of her actions she would be hurt. She truly believed that she helped her husband, and he did not want to make her think otherwise.

"Immediately after you were taken into custody," She answered. "I know you were confined for eight days, but The Emperor did say it might take some time. He was very concerned about you. I could tell he was very outraged at what happened." She then smiled, "He is your friend…a friend that's been very good to us for many years."

"Right," he muttered. The truth was far too dangerous for her to know, so he allowed her the illusion.

Ayumi then wrapped her arms around her husband, "Bade, I was so scared, I didn't know of who else to turn to. I've heard stories of Lord Vader; I didn't want you to disappear like so many others who had been arrested on his order."

Darth Vader's brutal actions were never official, but the whispers were enough to make most subjects of the Empire terrified of him. "I know Dear, I appreciate your efforts."

She broke from the embrace and gave Bade a bright smile. "Are you up for company? Lel and the girls want to come over, they've been frantic too. After you came back I told them to give you a few days rest, but they are getting anxious."

"I would love to see them." It was not a complete lie. He loved to see his daughter and grandchildren, but he did not know if he could handle seeing them without breaking down. They also had no inkling as to what kind of danger they were in because of him.

Ayumi stood up, "Great, they'll be so happy."

As she was about to leave, a question that had plagued him since his last encounter with the Emperor could no longer be suppressed. "Ayumi, can I ask you a question? When was the last time you were alone with the Emperor?" Bade needed to know just how extensive the control Palpatine had over his wife.

She looked at him with a confused expression. "That's a strange question."

He sighed, "Please, just answer it."

Ayumi thought for a moment, "Many years ago, before he was Emperor. He had just been elected Supreme Chancellor…I think."

"Why?"

"Bade, it's been a long time."

Despite his wife's confusion and annoyance, he pressed on. "Do you remember what you spoke about, or why he called you?"

"We spoke about..." An odd expression then crossed her face. She stood there for nearly motionless as it appeared she was trying to recall something deeply buried.

"You don't remember?" More alarms went off in Bade's mind. Ayumi Nilor had the best memory of anyone he had ever known.

Ayumi sighed, "Of course I remember, it's just hazy for some reason."

"What do you remember?"

She began very slowly, as if the words were difficult to utter. "I remember being allowed in the Naboo consulate, speaking to his assistant, and a few senators who were waiting in his office's antechamber. Then, the assistant said I could go in."

Bade pressed on, "Then what?"

His wife threw up her hands in frustration, "Then, I assume we spoke."

"You assume?"

Ayumi then began rubbing one of her temples. "It's odd, I don't really remember."

Bade was deeply disturbed by how the conversation was turning out. Something was not right. "Do you remember anything else?"

She began rubbing her temples even harder and it appeared that she was becoming confused. "I remember leaving the consulate."

Bade stood up and went to her. "Are you all right?"

"Just got a sudden headache."

He took her hand and tried to lead her to a chair. "Sit down."

Ayumi immediately snatched her hand from his. "No, I'm fine, I just need to stop talking about this."

Bade felt terror in a place he did not realize existed. "Why? What is wrong with this subject?"

"I can't talk about it! I'm not allowed," she shouted as she continued to frantically rub her temples to mitigate the pain in her head.

"Who told you that?"

Immediately, Ayumi collapsed and Bade was just barely quick enough to keep her from hitting the floor. She began writhing in pain. "Don't make me speak of it. I must not remember it," she cried.

Bade could no longer control his emotions. His tears flowed freely as he saw the love of his life in such pain. He held her in his arms as she cried out in pain."Why?"

It was then that Ayumi's normally dark brown eyes changed to a sickening yellow color, the very same as the Emperor. She then spoke in a voice that was her own, but the words were not. "I would listen you your wife if I were you. There are some questions, you should never ask."

In sheer terror, Bade ran to the other side of the room. He was not sure how, but he knew that his wife was no longer with him. What was laying on the floor, at least temporarily, was not Ayumi Nilor. He learned the hard way to never underestimate Palpatine's power. "Please leave her alone. I will do what you ask. Just don't do this to her."

The Emperor then cackled using Ayumi's voice. "I will hold you to that promise…my good friend."

As quickly as it began, the Emperor's control over her was lifted and her eyes returned to their normal color. She cried in pain, "Please Bade, it hurts so bad!"

Bade ran back to his wife's side and held her. "I'm so sorry Beloved." There was nothing else he could say; he brought this on her.

After a few moments, Ayumi stopped crying and stood up. Looking at her wrist chrono, she winced. "Oh my, the day is just wasting away. I need to begin dinner."

Bade stood up and stopped her before she could leave the room. "Let a droid do that. You should rest now."

Ayumi laughed."Why should I rest? Bade, why are you suddenly treating me like an invalid?"

It then dawned on him what just happened, "Ayumi, what were we just talking about?"

Her eyes knitted together in confusion. "We were talking about Lel and the girls coming over and how they've been so worried about you." She then put her hand on his head, inspecting it for injury. "Bade, are you sure I don't need to contact a medic?"

"No Dear, I'm fine." It was another lie, one of many today. He was far from fine. He knew he would never be fine again for as long as his miserable life continued. He now realized the extent of the control the Emperor had over his family. He not only held their lives, but their very souls as well. The chains that Bade Nilor forged himself that bound him to the Emperor's service had also unknowingly ensnared those he loved. Every fiber of his being hated the Emperor, but most of all, he hated himself.


	29. Chapter 29

_**Chapter 29:**_

Obi-Wan had never been to Dagobah before. As a former member of the Jedi High Council, he had known of the planet's existence, but much of it was shrouded in mystery. It was rumored that a great battle against the Dark Side occurred there long ago and that a dark presence remained long after the battle was over. If that were true, it made sense that Master Yoda would choose this planet for his exile. It would take a darkness of great magnitude to hide the ancient Jedi's powerful Force signature from Darth Sidious.

As Obi-Wan looked down onto the tiny jungle planet from orbit he again doubted his decision to leave the children here. He had full confidence in Master Yoda to properly care for the children, especially Luke, but his doubts remained. Would the toddler Siri remain healthy in an environment so different than she was used to? How would Luke handle losing another caregiver after Owen and Beru's brutal deaths? What would happen if this temporary arrangement became permanent?

Obi-Wan knew full well the danger he would be walking into when he decided to rescue Leia from the Sith. There was a very good possibility that he would die in the attempt and Luke and Siri would have to be brought up on Dagobah. The girl was on Coruscant-in the Imperial Palace no less. There was probably no more secure place in the entire galaxy. To take the child, he would have to get through several layers of the best Imperial forces and possibly two Sith Lords. Obi-Wan hoped to avoid a confrontation with either Sith, but he feared it would come to that. He had to be prepared for that possibility.

"Ben, is that the planet?" Asked Luke who had, up until now, been mostly silent throughout the entire trip to Dagobah.

"Yes it is." The Jedi hoped that the boy did not sense his unease. He knew Luke was already nervous about coming here and meeting Master Yoda. Obi-Wan did not want him to pick up on his anxieties as well. "I'm about to begin the landing sequence."

Luke nodded, "Where are we landing? I see nothing but trees." Even though he had lived for over a year on a heavily forested world, the boy from Tatooine was still fascinated by the sight of large amounts of greenery. He treated them as if they were exotic alien creatures. Obi-Wan wondered how long it would take before Luke stopped being a child of the desert-he suspected it would be a long time.

"Master Yoda has sent us coordinates to a clearing near his dwelling." As he was speaking, a loud crash was heard as the tiny ship entered the thick Dagobah atmosphere. Obi-Wan looked up to the ship's computer display panel to find, much to his dismay, that it was blinking out. It was at that moment, that Siri woke up and began crying.

"Ben, the proximity sensors are going out! We're flying blind!" Luke called out in panic as he frantically pushed buttons on the dead console.

The Jedi sighed, "Yes, I'm surprised that they lasted this long." The ship that Obi-Wan had bought on Sokoris from what was essentially a junk yard, had been quickly pieced back together for the trip. He knew that the ship would not get him to Coruscant, but he hoped that it would get the children to Dagobah and have enough life in it to get to a larger planet where he could obtain a better ship. "That crash was most likely the heat shields buckling when we entered the atmosphere." Obi-Wan pointed to one of the few indicators that was still functional. "Luke, watch the hull temperature. Let me know if it gets critical."

"What are you going to do? You can't see what's around you. We're going to crash into a tree!" Luke yelled over the sound of Siri's frantic cries.

_There is a reason I hate flying! _This was not the most dangerous situation that the Jedi had been in. In truth, it was quite mild compared to his adventures during the war. During those years, only having the proximity sensors go out during a landing sequence would have been a good day. Of course, during those days he had Anakin fighting along side of him.

Closing his eyes momentarily as the unwanted memories of his former Padawan washed over him, Obi-Wan used the Force to center himself. He could not afford to remember those days-not now, not ever. "We will be fine. Remember, your eyes can deceive you. The Force will guide us."

Despite the great respect that he had in his teacher and caregiver, Luke was not convinced. "This is different than deflecting the bolts from the training remote!"

"Calm yourself Luke," Obi-Wan commanded in his best teaching voice. Luke had a bad habit of relying on his natural senses; he hoped that this would be a good learning experience for his student. "We will get through this. Watch the hull pressure and temperature; also, keep an eye on the power readings. Let me know if there is a spike on either gauge."

Luke nodded, "Yes Master."

Obi-Wan could tell that Luke was still very afraid, but was holding it together. Reaching deep into the Force he cleared his mind of all distractions. The sound of the ship's internal alarm and Siri's crying faded into the background. He knew the child was not injured, only afraid. He would deal with her once they were safely on the ground.

With all distractions gone, Obi-Wan focused his mind on the space outside the capsule they were traveling in. The tiny ship was rapidly falling through the atmosphere; soon they would be hitting the tree line. The Jedi then disengaged the automatic pilot and took the controls and flew toward the coordinates that Yoda had sent him.

Suddenly a serious of knocks and bumps against the hull of the ship was heard. Hearing Luke's gasp, Obi-Wan tried to assure him again. "It's all right, we are merely hitting the tree line. We cannot avoid all of the branches, but I will stay clear of the big ones." Reaching out with the Force, the Jedi drew a mental picture of what was outside the ship. With much precision, Obi-Man managed to avoid the large trees and eventually maneuvered the ship into a large clearing.

Obi-Wan heard an audible sigh of relief from Luke when the ship touched down on solid ground. Turning to the boy, he gave him relieved grin, "Another happy landing." As soon as he spoke the words, another surge of memory flooded the Jedi's mind of the last time that he and Anakin shared a laugh-the last time they were truly brothers. The conclusion of the mission to rescue Palpatine from Count Dooku marked the end of their brotherhood, but neither he nor Anakin knew it at the time. _Please, not now, I can't afford this now._

"Wow, I didn't know you were such a good pilot!" Luke exclaimed. "I thought you hated flying."

Obi-Wan could not help but laugh. "When the Force is with you, young Skywalker, nothing is impossible." Immediately, the Jedi felt a familiar presence approaching the ship, one that had always been a steadying influence in his life and was so greatly missed. Master Yoda was coming to greet them.

The Jedi walked over to the makeshift crib that he had fashioned for his youngest charge out of an empty cargo container and picked up the still crying toddler. "Luke, gather yours and Siri's bags, we'll disembark after I feed and change her."

The boy did as he was told, but without any enthusiasm at all. It was clear to Obi-Wan that Luke was very uneasy about being left on Dagobah, but there was nothing he could do to help him. _You're not the only one who is uneasy Luke. I don't want to leave you any more than you want me to leave, but I cannot stand by and let your sister be lost to the Dark Side. Someone must save her from that horrible fate._

Even after feeding and changing her, Siri was still very fussy. He hated that she had to meet her new caregiver in this state, but it could not be helped. Obi-Wan could not delay any longer. If he was going to save Leia, it would have to be now. In his meditation, the Force seemed very clear about that. Soon, there would be no child left for him to save, she would be just another Sith.

"Ben, I got all the bags and put them by the main hatch." With each passing moment, Luke seemed even more anxious.

"Master Yoda is waiting for us. He's just outside." Obi-Wan knew that he had to say something to help Luke. "I know you are uneasy, I am too; I wish I did not have to leave you and your cousin, but I must."

The boy nodded, "I know that, you have to save that girl."

A part of Obi-Wan wished that he could be more open with his student. He wished that Luke could know about his twin sister, but it was far too dangerous. Leia's connection to him would have to remain hidden for his own good.

"Yes you will, no matter what happens." Obi-Wan had prepared for the possibility that he would be killed on this mission leaving Luke and Siri in the care of Master Yoda. Considering what would happen to Luke and anyone connected to him should his true identity be revealed, they could do much worse than growing up on this jungle world.

At that moment, baby Siri, who was finally beginning to grow more content since the ship's dramatic landing, laid her head on her caretaker's shoulder in what almost appeared to be a comforting gesture. The child was barely two years old and had no Force presence that Obi-Wan could tell, but sometimes it seemed that Owen and Beru's daughter could pick up on the feelings of others like a Force adept. When he or Luke was uneasy, she was uneasy.

The Jedi recalled on Anakin's last life-day being almost overcome with feelings of anger, sadness, and regret. During that time, Siri cried for a long time and could not be comforted no matter what he did, almost as if she was crying the tears for Anakin that Obi-Wan could not afford to shed. He eventually had to give her a Force suggestion to get the toddler to sleep. During the two years that he had cared for the child, he had seen too many instances such as that for him to dismiss them as mere coincidence.

Obi-Wan smiled and addressed the toddler in his arms, "I will miss you very much, little one, you and your cousin. Caring for you wasn't originally part of the plan, and I wish that your parents did not have to be lost; but I have very much enjoyed the privilege of watching over you." The Jedi knew that the toddler probably did not understand all of the words, but he hoped the meaning behind the words were conveyed.

Siri frowned, "Ben go away?"

"It's all right Siri." Luke interjected as his cousin was about to burst into tears again. "I'll watch over you."

At that moment, Obi-Wan had never been more proud of his student. He knew that the boy was apprehensive and wanted nothing more than to return to Sokoris and continue his life as it was, but he was mature enough to understand that someone needed help so he would have to let go of his own desires for the sake of someone he had never met. Self sacrifice was something Luke's father never fully grasped; Obi-Wan was glad and very relieved to see it in the boy.

Obi-Wan sighed and walked over to the ship's hatch and pressed the button to lower the gangplank and open the door. "We've delayed long enough. It's time to meet Master Yoda."

* * *

Leia had been in mediation for over an hour. The Emperor had been encouraging her to increase her time in meditation. The things he was teaching her required a much stronger connection to the Force than she had experienced before. The combat and telekinesis that she was learning from her father did not require as much concentration and patience than the mental manipulation that she was learning from Darth Sidious.

She recalled his words during their last training session, _"Even those who cannot touch the Force can achieve a small measure of victory by strength of arms. While combat has its uses, a true master of the Force achieves ultimate victory by words alone. Twist the minds of your enemies, and they will forever be your servants."_

During that training session, the Emperor suggested that, during her meditation, Leia try to momentarily capture the minds of some of the staff that worked inside the Imperial Palace to practice the techniques that she was learning. So far, she was having little success. She was far too distracted.

She had not seen her father much in the last week. While the _Devastator's_ battle group was still stationed above Imperial Center until the end of the Empire Day two weeks from now, Darth Vader had been spending much of his time investigating his daughter's attempted assassination. It had been weeks since Leia had been severely burned by an explosion in a shopping pavilion; but as far as she knew, her father still had very few leads.

She knew that he had many arrested, questioned, and some had even been executed; but nothing had come from it. Leia knew that it was frustrating her father very much, and when he was frustrated and angry he was even more difficult to be around. There was a part of her that cared very deeply about him. She had seen how protective he was of her and had felt something resembling affection from him, but she still had many questions.

Leia remembered the things that the Emperor had told her about how Vader was training her to destroy Darth Sidious. It still angered her that she was being used in her father's power games. He had taken her from the only home that she had ever known to be used as a means to gain power-At least that was what the Emperor had told her.

During her time on Imperial Center, Leia had spent much time with the Sith Master. She originally was terrified of him, but as she spent more time with him she was no longer afraid of him. She knew he had great power, and was thrilled that he was teaching her what he knew. She could actually have a real conversation with him; something that was almost impossible with her father. Still, that did not mean that she trusted him.

Before she first met the Emperor, Darth Vader had warned his daughter to never let her guard down around the Sith Master and, above all, never trust the things he said. Even though she was more comfortable around the Emperor now, she still could not forget her father's stern warning. Leia had learned from her teachings about Sith history that Sith Lords, for the most part, saw those around them as pawns to help them achieve more power. She knew her father was planning to use her as a weapon against Lord Sidious at some point in the future, so she had no illusions that the Sith Master had her welfare as his number one priority.

She wondered if there ever was a time when someone actually cared for her without any thought of how she could help them achieve power. When she was on Alderaan, she remembered feeling as if she had unconditional love; but that was so long ago and she had learned so much about the motivations of others since then that Leia no longer completely believed that Bail and Breha Organa adopted her just because they loved and wanted her.

Her father had said that Bail Organa kidnapped Leia when she was a baby as a way to get back at Vader for siding with the Emperor over the corrupt old Republic. In her heart, Leia did not want to believe such things. She remembered both of the Organas as kind and loving caregivers. However, her memories of them were fading each day; Leia wondered if she could really trust them.

Leia was so tired of being used, but she was not in the position to do anything about it. She would need to learn much more before she would no longer be treated as just another pawn. She knew that she needed to focus on increasing her own power. That would be the key to taking control over her own life. Both her father and the Emperor had taught her so much, now she had to learn how to perfect those abilities she had learned.

Leia cleared her mind of her fears and anxieties by using them to increase her connection with the Dark Side. With all of her doubts gone, she focused on the task at hand. Closing her eyes, she went even deeper into her meditation-far deeper than she had ever gone before. For just a moment, she was troubled at the sheer power that she was experiencing but she refused to break her meditation. _The Force serves me; I must not fear its power._

As she went deeper and deeper into realms of the Force, Leia focused on her task at hand. Darth Sidious had taught her how to search out beings to determine their location. This was something she was particularly talented at. During her training, the Emperor had shown her images of certain members of the Imperial Palace's staff and told her to find them. It usually did not take Leia long to do this. The one thing she had not yet accomplished was actually entering the minds of the one she found. _I must do it tonight! I can't fail anymore._

Just as she had been taught, Leia imagined that she was flying through the endless corridors of the massive Imperial Palace. She visualized the parts of the Palace that she knew and let the Force fill in the gaps so she could see the areas that she had not yet been in. Leia had practiced this so many times that she was able to see through the Force very detailed images of rooms she had never visited.

Since it was very late at night, much of the staff had gone home. Many of the rooms and corridors that were normally bustling with activity were empty. Finally, she found what she was looking for.

Through the Force, Leia could see a human male who appeared to be in his early twenties. His eyes appeared very tired as he hunched over several datapads that were strewn across a desk. Even if the girl was physically there with him, he probably would not have noticed. He was completely engrossed in his work. Leia smiled, this was the perfect candidate to properly test her new skills.

Just as she was taught, Leia visualized herself stepping into the man's mind. At first, she could not feel anything different, but after a few seconds she began to experience a very powerful sensation. The intensity of it made her want to immediately draw back but she could not allow herself to run from this. As Lord Sidious once told her, those with great power should not be afraid to exercise it.

A myriad of thoughts and emotions bombarded her, so much that it was almost impossible to sort through them. Leia had to call on more Dark Side energy to even begin to sort through it all. She felt as if there were thousands of voices screaming at her from all directions.

As she was taught, Leia focused on the voice that was the loudest. Sidious told her that was the thought that was the most active. With all of the other thoughts in the background, it was very difficult for her to determine what the most active thought was. It took even more energy and concentration to shut out the others.

Finally, the other voices began to fade into the distance. Through the Force, she could now hear what this man was thinking. Just as she was told it would be, the thoughts were not very coherent. There were just a few words and phrases that she could decipher:

_Must hurry...no time...late...very late...will be punished...why did I accept this job? I hate the palace!_

Leia could barely believe her success. She had worked so hard to be able to do this and finally she had accomplished it. She could hardly wait to tell the Emperor what she achieved the next time she saw him. She wondered momentarily is she should tell her father; but something inside her told her not to-that it would only make him angry.

For a few moments longer, Leia used the Force to listen to the man's thoughts. She knew she would need much more practice to truly master the ability. As she was about to leave the man's mind and come out of her meditative state, a voice inside her urged her to go even deeper and to attempt to influence the man's mind.

She had already been taught how to influence a mind when the person is up close-Darth Sidious brought a palace staff member into their training session for Leia to practice mental manipulation. After the session was over, the Sith wiped the staff member's mind of the encounter. But, influencing a mind over a distance was much more difficult. Mental manipulation was something Leia was not entirely comfortable with doing, but she knew she had to learn it.

Centering herself again, Leia called on even more Dark Side energy. This was the most power that she had ever utilized and it was becoming very taxing. In the back of her mind, she was aware that she was sweating profusely from the strain. She knew that her body was very close from dropping in exhaustion; but she soldiered on, refusing to give up until she had achieved her goal.

Remembering what she had been taught, Leia focused her power into her thoughts and projected them onto the man's mind: _Get up from your chair and walk around the desk._ Leia did not want to give him something too difficult to do. She just wanted to see if she could get him to do anything.

It took a few moments before he reacted, but though the Force Leia could see the man stand up. However, before he did anything else, she felt a sudden wave of intense panic go through the man. He was absolutely terrified and began to scream, "Stop it, get away from me, get out of my head!"

Leia had no idea what she was supposed to do. The sheer intensity of the man's fear was overwhelming. So much so that she had to withdraw. Leia remembered Sidious telling her that she could use the intense emotions of others to feed her power; but something stopped her. It was one thing to use one's own emotions to increase her power, it was quite another to use someone else's.

Quickly, Leia drew back and brought herself out of meditation. Looking down at her hands, she noticed that they were shaking. This was not the first time that a powerful manifestation of the Force had caused this effect. She also noticed that the skin on her hands and arms was very pale-much more than usual. Leia could not help but be reminded of the Emperor's frighteningly pale skin.

It was very difficult for Leia to stand. Her exertions had taxed her body to the limit. Even though she had great power in the Force, her body was still that of a child. Wearily, Leia made her way to the bedroom of the large, multi-room suite she was given to stay during her time in the Imperial Palace. As she approached the bed, something made her stop at the nearby mirror.

The sight that greeted her when she looked in the mirror made Leia nearly jump in fright. It was not just her hands and arms that were pale, it was her entire body. Here face was so ghostly that even in the dim light of the room she could see blood vessels through her skin. Also, she noticed her eyes were not the usual color. Instead of her normal deep brown eyes, Leia could see a small ring of yellow surrounding her pupils.

Leia's first reaction was to scream, but she fought the impulse. _Oh no, what has happened to me?_ She did not know what to do or who to turn to. Somehow she knew that her condition was not medical. It had something to do with the large amount of dark side energy she was using. A terrible thought entered her mind: _Darth Sidious' skin is pale and his eyes are yellow. Is that what the Force does?_

As she was pondering her current predicament, Leia heard the door to her suite open. She knew immediately who it was. "Father, I'm in here."

Within seconds, Darth Vader entered the room, "Are you all right? I felt something..." He stopped the moment he saw Leia's face. "What were you doing?"

"I was...meditating." She answered weakly. Leia felt her father's anger, but it was not directed at her, it was directed at the Emperor.

He came up to her, bent down, and looked directly at her. Even though she could not see his eyes because of the mask, Leia knew that he was looking into her eyes. "You were doing far more than that. I see the dark side manifesting in your very eyes, my daughter. What has he taught you?"

Leia looked away; she could not bear looking at the mask. Not for the first time, she wondered what he really looked like, but now she wondered if his eyes were yellow as well. "The Emperor taught me how to go into the minds of others."

"Mental manipulation?" Vader spat out with contempt.

Leia nodded, "Yes, from a distance; not just when the being is close by."

She then felt another surge of anger from her father. He grabbed her arm, "Listen to me, manipulation of minds in that manner is for cowards. It's a mere parlor trick that only yields short term results. You are above it, my daughter."

Leia shook her head, "Is that why you didn't teach me this?"

"I am focusing on what is most important, and that is combat training. That is what is necessary to truly rule an empire." Vader explained.

"But don't you think the other is also important? Darth Sidious became Emperor without combat." Leia wished this conversation would be done quickly. She was tired and confused.

"There was much combat, I was there, Darth Sidious just had others do it for him." Vader's hatred for his master was apparent.

Leia then remembered something the Emperor had once told her. "When you were a Jedi?"

Vader rose up immediately as if struck by something, "Did he tell you that?" He demanded.

"Yes," She answered in fear, not knowing what her enraged father would do. "He said that you were a Jedi but you joined him after they turned on the Republic."

Vader did not speak for several seconds as he continued to stare at his daughter. Leia still could not feel much anger directed at her; it was all directed at the Emperor. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Vader spoke. "Do not trust one word that comes out of his mouth. He is not looking out for your best interests."

"And you are?" Leia asked.

"You are my daughter. I do not wish to see you harmed. I need to protect you from all dangers." It was the closest thing to _I love you_ that Vader had ever said to her.

"I don't trust him," Leia whispered. "But I don't trust you either."

Instead of the rage that she expected, she felt what almost could be described as remorse-If Darth Vader was capable of such a thing. "You need to sleep. Tomorrow I'm taking you back to the _Devastator_ for training. You've been in this place far too long."

"Yes Father." Leia then turned toward the mirror again. She was relieved to see her eyes were back to the normal color and she was not nearly as pale. "How long will we have to be here? When will your ship be leaving?"

"You wish to leave?" Asked Vader.

Leia nodded, "Yes, I've been here too long."

Darth Vader then turned toward the door to leave. "I completely agree."

* * *

There were parts of Imperial Center that one did not travel into unless he was prepared for the worst. Despite the vast amounts of credits that had been poured into Imperial sponsored crime eradication programs that were supposed to clean up the seedy under-city, it seemed that even Imperial might was not enough to stop the crime that infested the low income areas of the great city.

In a strange way, to beings like Doran Melkor who had devoted their lives to bringing down the Emperor's regime, it was almost comforting to see that the under-city of Coruscant had not been tamed by the Empire. It proved to him that this government was not all-powerful.

As Doran sipped his ale in one of the many seedy dives many kilometers below the Imperial Palace and the Senate, he could not help but smile. The Emperor could not control everyone, no matter how much might he possessed. Even if Lord Vader himself led hundreds of squadrons of the best troops the Empire had to offer, it still would not be enough to tame Coruscant completely. If the Emperor could not even completely control the capital, then there was great hope that he could not control the rest of the galaxy. Even though it seemed that almost everyone was marching in unison under the Imperial banner, he knew it could not last.

"You shouldn't be smiling like that in here," said a female voice behind him.

Doran did not turn around, "Enni, I was beginning to think I was going to be stood up, like last time."

The human woman sat down in the seat next to him. "I was detained."

"Detained?" He asked. Enni Jenso was one of the rebellion's most valuable undercover operatives. She worked inside the vast Imperial Palace complex itself as a member of the droid maintenance crew. She had provided a great amount of information and insight on how the Imperial machine operated. So far, she had not gotten close to anyone of any real importance, but the tidbits of information she had picked up from hearing the gossip of the other staff members had proved very valuable.

Because of her placement, Doran was very concerned. She was in the belly of the great Imperial beast; it was not a question of if she would get caught, but when. Like all of the intelligence operatives that were under his control, Jenso was given no true information regarding the structure of the organization. If she asked anything about who actually ran the rebellion, she was either refused or told lies. It was much safer that way.

Enni nodded, "One of the members of the Senate Liaison staff had a meltdown."

"What happened?"

"I don't know; it was the strangest thing. One minute he's sitting at a desk working, the next minute he starts ranting and raving and saying that someone was inside his head trying to control him." Enni shuddered slightly; it was obvious that what she had seen had greatly disturbed the young woman.

"That's odd." Doran was not the least bit interested in some nameless Imperial employee, but he could not afford to needlessly antagonize one of his most valued operatives.

"He just kept yelling about it, so much so that we were afraid the Imperial Guard would come." The woman paused momentarily and took a sip of her drink. "If that happened..." She trailed off not wanting to speak of such a possibility.

"What would have happened if they did come?" There was much mystery surrounding the red robed guardians of the Emperor, and also much superstition and fear. Doran's youngest daughter had at times been convinced one of them was living inside her closet just waiting to attack her the moment the lights were turned off and she was not the only one.

Fear of the Imperial Guard and Darth Vader were common among the children of the Empire. There were even many that were terrified of the Emperor himself, even though their Imperialist parents and teachers tried to reassure them that the badly scarred and cloaked wraith had their best interest at heart. Doran always wondered how children could see through the Emperor much more easily than adults.

Enni shook her head, "I'm not sure, but no one wanted to find out. Even though we're far from the Emperor's living quarters, the red robes are still in charge of security. They have a kill first, never ask questions later policy."

"Well, it's good they didn't come then." Doran did not have much time; he needed to get on with the business at hand. "So, other than Imperial employees going insane, do you have anything else for me?"

The woman sighed, "You could at least pretend that you were interested in what I had to say?"

"I don't have much time, none of us do." Doran was trying his best to be gentle, but his patience was coming to an end. His operatives were getting recalcitrant-first the handmaiden on Alderaan, and now this woman. The rebellion was floundering as it was. Far too many Senators that were once staunch supporters were now drawing back, and now it seemed the intelligence operatives were as well. He would have to do something about this soon.

"I know that, more than you know." Enni shot back. She then stopped and took another sip of her drink before continuing. "What is it that you want to know?"

"Do you have any idea how long Vader will be at the capital?" In the long years since the beginning of the Empire, this was the most time Vader had spent on Coruscant. Normally, his ship and its accompanying battle group went from system to system dispensing his version of Imperial justice to all those who were not one hundred percent in lock-step with Palpatine's vision of the galaxy. Darth Vader and the soldiers under his command were responsible for atrocities that were only whispered about among polite society.

"I'm not sure, but the rumor is that he's gone after Empire Day. A few days ago I had a drink with one of the junior officers under his command. He said that Vader is very anxious to leave." She explained.

Doran nodded, "I imagine a man such as Vader hates being planet-bound."

"No, it's not that." Enni then looked over her shoulder and lowered her voice. "My friend under Vader's command thinks that it's all about his daughter."

"Leia Vader?"

"Yes," She whispered. "Apparently the Emperor is spending a lot of time with her and Vader hates it. My friend tells me that the most dangerous time for those under Vader's command is during the times that the Emperor and the girl have their meetings."

"Really?" The news was very troubling. Having Leia Vader under the tutelage of her murderous father was bad enough, but her becoming the Emperor's pupil was even worse. If Palpatine was taking the time to take the girl under his wing, there was a great possibility that he was grooming her to be his successor. "No wonder Vader wants her back on his ship. He sees that he might be getting usurped by his own daughter."

Enni shrugged, "I don't know. I try not to think about it."

Doran wished he had the luxury to not have to think about how this child was being twisted into Vader and the Emperor's image. He respected and admired Bail Organa very much, and the idea that the child he adopted was being trained with philosophies completely opposite to his ideals was very saddening. But he did not have the time to dwell on his sadness. Even though Bail Organa raised the girl for the first few years of her life, she was now being molded into the image of her murderous father and the tyrannical Emperor.

Doran was terrified to think of what she would be like when she was an adult. Not for the first time, he wished that those that tried to assassinate her months ago had been successful. Of course, he would never admit such feelings openly. Leia Vader was still very young, but this child had the chance to grow up and rule the galaxy with more of an iron fist than Palpatine.

Someone with the DNA of Darth Vader and the political teachings of the Emperor would be a force to be reckoned with; but there was nothing he could do about that right now. He needed to change the subject. "Have you thought any more about what I suggested last time we spoke?"

Enni shook her head, "No I haven't, because it's impossible. If that is what we're discussing now, I'll leave right now," she spat in a sudden surge of anger. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

Doran's patience was quickly coming to an end. "We've done this before on other Imperial installations without a problem."

"You know good and well that I don't work in any normal Imperial installation. I'm doing my best just to survive!"

"Listen to me, we can do this." It was all Doran could do to keep from shouting.

Immediately, Enni rose to her feet, "I'm out of here. Get someone else to commit suicide for you." She then walked out of the bar and into the streets of Coruscant's under-city.

It was then that Doran's patience came to an end. Without any hesitation, he followed her out into the street and quickly caught up with her. He then grabbed her by the arm, roughly pulled her into the nearest alleyway, and shoved her hard against the wall. He tightened his grip on her arm and bent down to whisper in her ear, "We weren't finished with our conversation."

Enni tried to get away but her captor's grip was too strong. "Let me go now!"

Doran's hold on her did not relent. "What are you thinking? Did you think you could just walk away from this? You pledged to help us!"

"I can't do what you ask!" She cried. "Bringing in a droid to collect information for the rebellion is suicide. Security is one hundred times tighter in the palace than anywhere else in the entire galaxy."

"Yes Enni, you can...and you will." Doran relaxed his tight grip and turned her around to face him. He could see a bruise was forming on her face where he had slammed her against the wall and she had tears in her eyes. He had a sudden attack of remorse for allowing his temper to explode like that. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he spoke softly. "I'm sorry for what I did. I shouldn't have gotten so angry."

The woman looked away from him, "Let me go."

Doran shook his head, "I'm sorry, but I can't. We will provide the droid, you just need to make certain that it gets inside the palace and assign it a task that will allow it to roam around and collect information."

"If it is discovered to be transmitting information back to you, it will be traced to me." Enni was trying her best to remain strong, but she was losing the battle. "I will be executed. I have a son, he's only five. After his father died, I'm the only one he's got. What will happen to him?"

Doran thought about his own children. "I understand your feelings-far more than you know and I wish that I could tell you that everything will be all right; but I can't do that. All I can assure you is that you are doing this for the future of the galaxy. If you don't, your child will live in bondage under the Empire for the rest of his life. Do you want that?"

Enni shook her head, "No, I don't."

"Of course you don't, neither do I." He then smiled and released her shoulders, "Can we count on you?"

"Yes." She answered with a whisper.

Doran grinned, "Great! You'll be receiving instructions in the next few days."


	30. Chapter 30

_**Chapter 30:**_

In his career Doran Melkor had visited hundreds of planets. Some were breathtaking, and some were little more than chunks of rock. Even on those desolate and dying worlds, Doran could find something he liked about them - some form of beauty, even if it was hidden. One such world he visited a little over a year ago. It was not even a planet at all; it was a moon that orbited around a gas giant. For nearly a thousand years it had served as a safe haven for refugees and those fleeing repressive governments in the outer rim. Because the moon could not support life, the inhabitants lived in underground bases that shielded them from the solar radiation and from the eyes of pirates and unfriendly governments. Only a few knew of the settlement's existence.

Even though they lived in very sparse accommodations, those that called the moon home were friendly and very generous. They were also fiercely independent and hated tyranny. Doran had gone there on behalf of the rebellion to ask for assistance. They hated the Empire as much as he did and were glad to help. Because their resources were limited they could only offer a safe haven for a few should it become necessary.

While he was there Doran could not help but draw comparisons between the hidden lunar settlement and his current home. Naboo was considered by many as the crowning jewel of the civilized galaxy. The planet was breathtaking. For most of the humans in the galaxy it was considered perfection. Doran Melkor was not one of them.

If he had to sum up the people of Naboo in one word, Doran supposed the word "content" described them the best. They were content with the peace and tranquility that their planet offered, so much so that the majority of them accepted the rise of Palpatine to Emperor with few complaints. The senator turned chancellor was one of Naboo's favorite native sons. When he announced that he would be reorganizing the Republic into the Empire, there were many concerns from the Naboo people, but most convinced themselves that Palpatine would give up his power once the crisis was over. They reasoned that since he had grown up on Naboo that he shared in the planet's much vaunted belief in democracy.

It sickened Doran to think that even after nine years many citizens of Naboo still believed that the Emperor had the galaxy's best interests at heart. They still thought that he would soon give up his power and return democracy. Until that day, they were content to wait in their beautiful homes on their paradise of a planet while what little freedom that remained was quickly being burned away by the fires of tyranny. All of his life he had heard about the Naboo's love for freedom and democracy, but since the rise of the Empire he had seen very little of it. They still talked about it, but did very little.

A sudden jolt interrupted his musings. The transport had finally landed after a one hour delay while the ship was boarded by Imperial officials. At first Doran thought that his activities had been discovered and that he was being apprehended. He had even covertly prepared the tiny capsule of drugs he kept with him at all times for such an occurrence. If he were captured, the capsule would ensure that the Imperial interrogators would only find a corpse in his cell by the time they got to him. But in the end it was not necessary. The troopers went right passed his seat and arrested a young woman four rows down. After the troopers left another passenger told him that the woman who was arrested was a reporter for an underground holo-news outfit that had posted unfavorable stories of the Empire's activities in the outer-rim. This reporter had told the truth about some Moff's forced labor operation, and would soon pay the price for it. Doran knew that she would never be seen alive again. He hated it, but there was nothing that could be done for her.

With no more delays the passengers disembarked. Doran was incredulous as he watched the other passengers. Less than an hour ago they saw heavily armored stormtroopers roughly remove one of their fellow passengers and they were still acting like they were on a holiday. Nothing was said about the young woman who had been arrested. The passengers were focused on the sites they would be seeing soon on this "paradise" planet. After the troopers left, it was as if nothing had happened. It was only the children on the transport that asked questions like, "Who was that woman?", "Where did they take her?", and "Why was she crying so much?" They continued their questions until their parents shushed them. Doran wondered how many times they would have to be told to be quiet before these children would stop asking questions and just accept the Empire's atrocities-just like their parents.

As usual, the first site that greeted him as he left the spaceport was the office of the planetary guard, but something was different this time. Instead of the symbol of the Naboo planetary guard, the Imperial symbol hung over the building. Like most planets, Naboo had its own police force. Over the last few years there had been a greater insistence from Imperial officials for the police forces of individual worlds to be absorbed into the Imperial armed forces. This had already occurred on many worlds, but the huge bureaucracy had made this switchover very slow. Doran sighed with resignation as he realized that Naboo was the latest in a long line of worlds whose security was now solely in the hands of the Empire. He knew that the planetary government really had no choice, but he also knew that the current queen and most of the legislature were Palpatine enthusiasts. They probably gladly accepted this loss of their sovereignty in exchange for political favors. Long gone were the days of politicians like Padmé Amidala who put the good of their people over personal gain.

Doran again cursed the planet. If he had his way he would take his family off this world and return to Quellor. While his home world might not be as beautiful as Naboo, at least there he would could hold his head high and be proud of the planet he lived on. But he had made promises...promises that he was not ready to break yet.

He had promised his wife when they first got married that once they had children they would resettle on her home world. Malina believed that the heavily industrial world that he called home was no place to raise children. She missed the fields and flowers of her home planet and wanted to be close to her family. Doran managed to stall for a few years, but it was not long after their second child was born that he finally relented. Despite his wife's heartfelt assurances that he would grow to love Naboo just like her, he hated the planet even more every time he set foot on it.

It was a relatively short journey by speeder from Theed to his house in one of the rural communities on the outskirts of the capital city, but this time Doran took the long way. He needed the time to clear his head. He knew he should not greet those he loved so much in the mood he was in. It had been weeks since he had last seen them, and they deserved a husband and father free of such dark thoughts.

When he finally arrived he was greeted by the excited cries of his two young daughters. "Daddy!"

He barely had time to get through the door before they latched onto him. Doran was nearly knocked down. Despite his mood, he could not help but grin at their enthusiasm. "Wow, what a welcome! No one's been this happy to see me in a long time."

That part was true, normally the Rebellion operatives that were under him dreaded his visits and most of them loathed him. It was his job to get them to do things anyone with an ounce of self-preservation would be very hesitant to do. The faces of Zara Naedan and his operative on Coruscant flashed through his mind. One of them he had to lie to, and the other he had to both lie and threaten. Doran was under no illusions that he was some kind of hero, even if the side he was on was righteous. His job was necessary, he knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt; but he sometimes wished that he could aid the Rebellion in a different way-so that his girls could be proud of him in the future when the Empire was no more. So far, he had done very little that could be called heroic.

The younger of the two, three-year-old Trista, began jumping up and down. "Daddy's back! Daddy's back!"

Doran was amazed that even in the few weeks that he was gone that the girls looked older. "Kylai, Trista...you girls have grown and it's only been a few weeks. What is your mother feeding you?"

"It's been forever, I thought you'd never come home!" Six-year-old Kylai interjected. Of his two girls, she was the one who complained about her father's many absences the most. She always made a point to mention how long he had been gone and was very sullen when he had to leave. Trista was sad when he left, but not to the degree her older sister was.

"But I'm back now." Doran smiled, trying to keep the mood in the household light. He did not want her to start crying, as she was known to do when she thought about her father leaving again. He knew that would come once he got ready to leave again, but he wanted to delay it as long as possible. He only had two days before he had to leave again. He really only came home to pick up two very special items that his wife had been working on for the last few weeks.

Kylai would not be so easily consoled. "But for how long? I hate it when you go away."

Doran sighed; he wished he did not have to go through this every time he came home. "I hate it too, but I have to." He reminded her again. "Where's your mother?" He needed to see how Malina's project was coming along.

"She's outside working on the droids." Answered Kylai. "She said she'll be done with them soon and then we can play with them." The girl's smile then returned. "They are so much fun."

It was all Doran could do to not groan in annoyance. He had explicitly asked his wife to not let the girls see the droids. Both of his children had inherited their mother's fascination with artificial intelligence. They loved machines just as much, or even more, than their dolls. "We don't have them for very long, don't get attached." He warned. In truth, he was not as concerned about the girls seeing them as he was of them seeing his daughters. For the job he had in mind for them, the last thing he wanted was Kylai and Trista's images in their memory banks.

"I'm going to go say hello to your mother." Doran announced.

Trista frowned. "Ah Daddy, we wanted to play."

"You'll have me all to yourself later, I promise." He understood their disappointment, he wished he had more time; but there was too much to do.

Leaving his daughters, Doran headed to the small building behind the house that Malina had claimed as her personal workshop. The majority of the people that lived in their small community were farmers and his wife ran a fairly lucrative business repairing and upgrading agriculture and household droids for the local farms and plantations.

When he entered the workshop, Malina looked up from the droid she was working and smiled. "Doran, you're back."

"I missed you." He came over and gave her a passionate kiss. "It's been far too long."

Malina nodded. "Three weeks, this one was longer than usual."

"I had a few stops to make." His wife was well aware that he worked for the Rebellion, she did as well; however she did not know any details of his work. In turn, he knew little of her activities within the Rebellion. It had been that way since before they were married.

"Is everything going smoothly?" Asked Malina.

Doran shook his head. "Not exactly." There were times that he wished he could talk freely to his wife about his concerns, but it was far too risky. As usual when she asked him about his work, he changed the subject. "So, how's our friend here?"

Malina looked down at the deactivated droid she had been working on and laughed. "Talkative. Where did you get this thing? The kids love it, but it's driving me crazy."

"Protocol droids are annoying." When he first acquired the droids, Doran had the misfortune of sharing a tiny cabin with them while traveling from Coruscant. The protocol droid's constant chattering made him want to kill whatever wretched being built it.

Both droids were originally the property of Bail Organa, and were used in Alderaanian consulate on Coruscant. After Bail's execution, the Droids were de-activated and hidden by the Rebellion in case they were needed at some point in the future. For reasons Doran did not know, the senator had given his staff explicit instructions to not sell or destroy either droid.

"It's a good thing this one isn't the one that is being sent directly into the installation. It wouldn't last long." Malina had not been told where the droids were to be stationed, or what they were to be doing. All she was told was that they were to be used in an intelligence gathering operation, and she assumed that it was going to be in an ordinary military installation. Doran allowed her to think that. He felt that she did not need to know that they were going to be used to spy on the Emperor himself. The less she knew the better.

He nodded, "Indeed. How's the other one?"

"It's ready to go." Malina answered brightly. "I have it powered down right now."

"Great, my friend on the inside is ready." Doran had many doubts about the operative he was using to get the droid into the palace, but she was all he had. He knew she would eventually be caught, but he hoped that the droid would be in place long enough to gather some useful information. The operative would be interrogated prior to her execution, but she did not know enough about him or the rebellion to be overly concerned about that. He wished that there was a way he could prevent her inevitable capture, but there was not. She would be another sacrifice to the cause of the Rebellion. Of course, he was not foolish enough to tell her that.

"You need to tell _your friend_ to not let anyone wipe the astromech's memory. Everything we're doing depends on that." Malina warned, not for the first time. She had been nervous about the operation from the moment Doran had proposed it.

Doran pointed to the protocol droid. "Is this one about ready?"

Malina nodded. "Just about to activate it-I'm done with the transmitter. It can now receive and transmit the astromech's messages from anywhere in the sector."

"Very nice, this is exactly what I needed." He muttered as he inspected the golden droid. The plan was to fit the astromech with a tiny wireless transmitter and arrange for it to be placed inside the Imperial Palace. The astromech would send out regular coded transmissions detailing its findings. The other one was to also be fitted with a transmitter to receive and translate the other droid's messages. It was risky, but it was a risk that they needed to take. Doran knew that if the Rebellion could get hold of intelligence from the Imperial Palace itself, they could gain more insight into the Emperor's plans.

Malina began attaching the droid's metal coverings back on its frame. "Where will the protocol droid be stationed?"

Doran looked at her in surprise; he thought his wife knew better than to ask such questions. When she saw his face, Malina began to back-peddle. "Actually, forget I asked that. I don't want to know anymore about this operation than I have to."

"It'll be close enough." He answered trying to hide how disturbed he was by her question. They had long ago agreed that she could never know the details of his activities. He felt the icy hand of suspicion grip him. It was a familiar feeling in his line of work, and one that had kept him alive. Something about his wife's seemingly innocent question bothered him greatly. _What would I do if she turned against the Rebellion-against me? How could I contain the situation?_

A multitude of scenarios rushed through Doran's mind as he went over his options if Melina turned traitor. _I would have to stop her from sending any intelligence to the Empire, and I would have to do it away from the children. If she's turned traitor, she would probably use Trista and Kylai as blackmail. I'd have to act quickly…one quick blow would be all it would take._

Doran then realized the sudden darkness that had invaded his thoughts. It took nearly all of his concentration to keep his expression impassive. As quickly as the unwelcome thoughts came, he banished the worst of them. _What am I doing? I can't think things like this. I'm getting paranoid. She's my wife! _Still, he was unable to banish all of his thoughts. Even though the idea of his wife betraying him felt far-fetched to him, Doran's training and experience as an intelligence operative refused to allow him rule it out completely.

Malina, blissfully unaware of her husband's thoughts, completed replacing the coverings on the droid. "Ah, finally finished. Let me power it back up."

The droid's ancient processors began to hum as power was restored. After a few seconds its eyes opened and it looked up. "Mistress Malina." It greeted in the typical sycophantic tone that was common to protocol droids-a tone that Doran found especially grating. "I take it the maintenance to my systems went as expected."

"You be the judge of that, please perform an internal diagnostic." Malina requested. Doran shook his head. She had always treated droids like they were more than mere tools. She rarely ordered them to do things; she usually asked like they were sentient beings. Normally, this particular quirk of hers was a source of amusement, but today Doran was on edge.

He was reminded of an accusation leveled against him a few years ago by one of the operatives under him. _"I'm only a tool-a means to an end to be used and discarded as you think necessary. I might as well be working for the Empire, at least then my family would get a stipend when I'm killed in the line of duty." _It was that statement which sealed the operative's fate, the man had become a security risk.

Doran never forgot what he said, it echoed in his mind every time he performed his most unpleasant duties. It struck a chord with him because deep down he knew the operative was right about how he used beings as a means to an end. Seeing Malina treat a droid better than he treated his operatives reminded him of how far he had fallen. Doran attempted to sooth his conscience by telling himself that the operative was not right about everything, the operative's family did receive a modest stipend after the body was found. Doran paid it himself anonymously, it was the least he could do.

The droid shut its eyes momentarily as it ran the diagnostic. "Mistress, I am working at optimal efficiency." It reported proudly. "The transmitter is interfacing with my primary systems."

Doran turned to his wife. "So it'll be ready for its next assignment?"

"Of course, Master Doran," The droid answered even though it was not addressed. "I am always ready to serve in any way that I am needed. It is a great privilege to serve such a..."

"Wonderful." Doran answered with barely concealed annoyance. He could not wait until this job was complete.

The droid then addressed his mistress. "May I ask, what is the status of my counterpart?"

Malina pointed to the powered down astromech that was on the other side of the workshop. "I finished its upgrades this morning. It is staying de-activated until you two are put in place."

"When will we be sent to our next assignment?"

"In just a few days." Malina looked at her husband for confirmation. At his nod, she continued. "We're securing your transport now."

The sound of a little girl's excited cry interrupted any additional questions the droid might have had about its mission. "Threepio! You're awake!"

It turned and politely addressed the girl. "Mistress Trista, your mother was ever so gracious to repair many of my primary functions. They have been sadly neglected since I was shut down after Senator Organa's execution."

The girl turned to her parents. "What's an execution?"

At his youngest's question, Doran felt an emotional punch. He was angry at what the droid had said in front of her, but he was mostly grieved that in the galaxy she was forced to grow up in children had to hear such words_. _It made him ever more determined to do all in his power to fight the Empire, even if the methods he employed were not always honorable. The Empire was ruthless, and fighting it would require the same ruthlessness.

"Never mind that right now." Said Malina in the hope of changing the subject. "I'll be done here soon, go find your sister."

"Can Threepio come and play?" Trista asked with a grin.

Malina laughed at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Yes he can."

Trista jumped in excitement, "Thanks Mommy!" Doran was certainly not as thrilled, but decided to not say anything in front of the girl.

The droid began to protest. "Mistress, my primary functions are etiquette and protocol. I am not programmed to be a suitable playmate for your children."

"You will be getting back to your primary function soon enough." Malina responded firmly. "Until then, you are my children's playmate."

"Yes Mistress." The droid answered as it was reluctantly led from the workshop by the excited girl.

When the girl was out of earshot, Doran broke the silence. "I certainly hope that you're going to wipe its memory before you send him off."

"What kind of a fool do you think I am?" Malina scoffed. "I can't do a full wipe, it'll lose necessary information; but I can block its recent memories."

"Block, not remove?" Doran did not like this situation at all.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid it's all or nothing with these older model protocol droids." She then shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about it. Someone would have to be some sort of magician to retrieve the blocked memories. Also, it's not like the protocol droid will actually be in the installation itself. He'll be translating from a distance."

Doran sighed. "It'll have to do."

* * *

Obi-Wan could feel Luke's anticipation as the ship's hatch opened and the gangplank lowered onto Dagobah. The boy was nervous about meeting Master Yoda but was doing very well at keeping himself together. Obi-Wan was very proud of his student. Siri, on the other hand, was holding onto him as if the Jedi was a lifeboat in the middle of a turbulent sea. The toddler was not crying, but he could sense that it would not take much for her to start. He knew that even though she was not even two years old that she somehow knew that her caregiver was leaving her. The tiny girl was not Force sensitive in any way that Obi-Wan could sense, but he had been surprised on many occasions by the natural intuition she seemed to possess.

Obi-Wan knew he would miss his unlikely charges very much. Caring for them certainly was not how he thought he would spend his exile, but he cared for them greatly. He wished he did not have to leave them. He would have been quite content to continue training Luke and caring for his toddler cousin on Sokoris until Luke came of age, but he could no longer ignore what was happening to Luke's twin sister. He had to save her from her Sith father, or die trying. He knew he would not be able to live with himself if one more Skywalker was lost to darkness.

The ship's gangplank fully descended and the unlikely family disembarked. The place where they landed seemed to be the only clearing within several kilometers. The planet seemed to consist of nothing but mist and trees. The scent of rotting vegetation was overpowering. Obi-Wan became even more concerned about his charges. He knew that Dagobah was very remote and untouched by civilization and technology, but he was not aware that the planet was little more than swamp.

He then saw a small figure coming out of the mist to greet them. When he saw it, Obi-Wan's heart became a little less heavy. "Master Yoda, it is good to see you again." When the diminutive Jedi master got closer to them, the first thing that he noticed was just how much older Yoda looked than the last time he saw him just nine years earlier. It seemed that exile had aged him, just as it had Obi-Wan.

"Good to see you." Yoda greeted in a voice that sounded tired and weak, but there was nothing weak about his presence in the Force. It was as strong as ever. It gave Obi-Wan great comfort to know that no matter how dark things might be in the galaxy with the Sith ruling and most of the Jedi dead that there were still great lights in the Force such as Yoda. He knew that Luke would benefit greatly from being in the presence of the great master.

Yoda then turned toward Luke who was watching with what appeared to be confusion and wonder. It was obvious that what he saw before him was not how he pictured what Yoda would look like. Unsurprisingly, the Jedi master picked up on the boy's feelings immediately. "Brought visitors I see. See through you, I can. Much confusion I sense. Not what you expected?"

The boy stared for a few more seconds and then remembered his manners. "Master Yoda, it is an honor to make your acquaintance."

"Much you have already been taught; but many lessons are ahead. Learning to judge not on appearance...one of them." His expression was serious, but Obi-Wan could see a slight twinkle in his eye. It reminded him of his own early teachings as a youngling with Master Yoda...back when the galaxy was not ruled by darkness.

"And this is Siri, Luke's cousin." Obi-Wan announced.

Yoda then regarded the toddler who was staring at him with wide eyed fascination. "Yes, grave tragedy was her parent's death." The girl seemed enthralled. Obi-Wan was relieved that he was not feeling fear from her over meeting her new caregiver. "Siri? Choose her name well, you did."

Obi-Wan smiled thinking about the girl's namesake. He still was not certain why he decided to name the girl after his long departed friend, but it felt right somehow. He was glad that Yoda agreed.

The grand-master then began hobbling on his cain toward a small structure in the distance. "Come, to my home we will go."

As they walked, Obi-Wan could sense Luke's unease, and he wished there was something he could do about it. There was little about this situation that was comforting. In the space of just a few years, the boy had lost two caregivers. He had lost Owen and Beru to the Sandpeople, and he was about to lose Obi-Wan-possibly permanently. The boy had a rough short life, full of loss and heartache; but he knew enough about Luke to know that he would rise above it and become a great Jedi someday-something that his father never could do.

As the group got closer to the hovel, Obi-Wan could see signs of recent construction. Along with an older dome-like structure, there was what appeared to be a new addition to it. The mud that covered it was a different shade indicating that it was fairly recent. "Have you been building?"

"Yes, needed much more room for the younglings." Yoda answered.

"It hasn't even been two weeks since I told you we were coming."

The Jedi master then turned to look at Obi-Wan. "Known months you were arriving. Knew eventually you would make this decision, I did."

Obi-Wan wondered if Yoda had received the knowledge that he would eventually be bringing Luke and Siri to Dagobah from the Force, or had he deduced it from what he knew about Obi-Wan. Did he merely assume that he would eventually make this decision?

Yoda led them into the hovel. Obi-Wan had to stoop to fit inside, but Luke was still short enough to fit comfortably. Their surroundings were certainly rustic, but the fire and the cook pot over it made the place very homey and welcoming, but it was far more than that. There was a peace and a tranquility here that Obi-Wan had not felt in a very long time. Even though Dagobah had a dark side presence because of some ancient battle, Yoda's home was a refuge from it. He wished he could stay longer to meditate, but there was little time.

Obi-Wan then put the toddler down. "Luke, take Siri to the back rooms and put her down for a nap. I need to speak with Master Yoda alone." He assumed that Yoda would already have prepared beds for the children.

Luke nodded and took Siri by the hand. "Yes Master." The boy felt uncomfortable in this unfamiliar environment, but was handling himself well.

Yoda spoke as soon as Luke was out of earshot. "Done well you have with his training; and for caring for Siri."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I've done my best. It's not been an ideal situation."

Yoda nodded sadly, seemingly lost in his thoughts. "Very little is ideal."

A familiar pang gripped Obi-Wan's heart. It was the same thing that gripped him every time he saw a holo of Vader or Leia, it was the guilt and regret that had kept him awake for so many nights. "Luke should be no trouble. He's very good at accepting change." _Much better than me. _He wondered how long it would be before he himself accepted the galaxy as it was, rather than torture himself with what could be.

Master Yoda looked at the other Jedi with much sadness. "Much loss he has suffered; and much grief he still carries."

Obi-Wan nodded, suddenly uncomfortable by the intensity of Yoda's gaze. "I know, I have tried to help him as best I can; but I..."

Yoda shook his head. "Not the boy I was speaking of. Much grief you still carry."

The words cut like a lightsaber through durasteel. His first inclination was to deny Yoda's accusation, but he could not form the words. Obi-Wan knew that it was pointless; Yoda could see right through him. "Master, I don't know what to tell you."

"You know what you must do; need me to tell you, you do not."

Obi-Wan let out the breath he was holding. "Every time I think that I've put aside my grief, I go into town and see one of those damned holos of Vader and it brings it back up again...my failure!" He was surprised by the emotion that was coming out of him. It felt very un-Jedi. He then stopped to center himself. _There is no emotion, there is peace_.

Obi-Wan expected a rebuke from Yoda but it did not come. "The failure was not yours; it was your apprentice who failed."

"But I should have seen that he was troubled." In the years since his exile began, Obi-Wan had gone over in his mind every conversation he had with Anakin in the turbulent months leading to the rise of the Empire, desperately trying to find something that he could pinpoint as the reason why he swore allegiance to the Sith. "I knew his faults and I closed my eyes to them." In the years that he had known Anakin, Obi-Wan had seen things in his former student that made him uneasy such as his quick temper and tendency to act without thinking. However, the idea that Anakin could be turned to the dark side never entered his thoughts. He thought he knew him well. _I was such a fool_.

"Go back in time, can you?" Yoda asked.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No master." He knew he would give anything to be able to go back and set things right, but it was impossible. He would have to live with this for the rest of his life.

"There were many mistakes made-blinded by the Sith we were. Allowed ourselves to be distracted by the war, we did." Yoda then sighed. "Even still, go back and change things we cannot. We must focus on what is in front of us-the here and now."

At that moment, Obi-Wan was reminded of Qui-Gon. He remembered his many lectures on the Living Force and how important it was to focus on the here and now. It seemed that Yoda had also become a student of the Living Force in his exile. "It is the here and now that makes me lose sleep. Palpatine has the galaxy in his grasp, and a future apprentice at the ready."

"Much darkness in the girl; and much confusion." Yoda's expression was grim.

"How much can you see, Master?"

Yoda closed his eyes. "The dark side clouds much; I cannot see clearly; but sense her confusion I can." He then opened his eyes and looked straight at his former student. "Much time, you do not have."

"I need to go now. I have delayed far too long." He wished that he had more time with Master Yoda. Being in his presence and hearing his counsel had centered him and brought him more peace than he had known since his exile began. However, Yoda was right, there was very little time left before there would nothing left of Leia to save. "I'll go say goodbye to the children."

"Miss them you will."

"Yes, very much so. I have formed an attachment." It was another very un-Jedi thing to do, but he refused to apologize for it. He cared for Luke and Siri greatly.

"You must be focused on your mission." Yoda reminded him. "Safe, the younglings will be."

"I know that Luke will benefit greatly from your teaching."

"He has learned much already." Yoda stated approvingly.

"But there is so much more he needs to know...and Siri, what of her? I'm concerned about her health in this environment." He was beginning to feel overwhelmed again thinking about what could happen to either child on this dangerous planet. Obi-Wan then remembered something Qui-Gon told him once. _"Be mindful of the future, but not at the expense of the here and now."_

"Clear your mind of concerns. Taken care of, both younglings will be." Yoda promised.

Obi-Wan then headed toward the recent addition to the hovel to where his charges were waiting. The room held two small beds. Siri was asleep, but the boy was awake and meditating. It did his heart good to see his student like this. He was doing as he was taught and releasing his anxiousness to the Force. "Luke, I am going to be leaving."

The boy nodded. "I understand."

"Take care of Siri, and listen to Master Yoda. He has great wisdom. He has taught me much." Obi-Wan knew that was an understatement.

"How long will you be gone?" Asked Luke.

"I do not know, it could be weeks, I have to go a long way." He was going to have to go to another planet, find a better ship, obtain false identification papers, and somehow get to Coruscant without being detected. There was an Imperial holiday coming up and he hoped that he could more easily gain access to the planet if he posed as an Imperial subject coming to the capital for the holiday. He would be one of untold millions of visitors on top of the billions that already made Coruscant their home. Obi-Wan hoped he could blend in and not be sensed by either Sith lord.

"You're worried." Said Luke.

Obi-Wan nodded gravely. "There is much at stake." There was more than just one little girl's life at stake, there was also the fate of the galaxy and Luke at stake. The idea that one day the boy would have to face his own twin sister in combat was horrific. He had to do something.

Luke then smiled, his earlier apprehension seemed to melt away. "The Force will be with you Ben. Don't worry. Me and Siri will be all right."

Obi-Wan wondered if the boy got that knowledge from the Force, or his own natural optimism. "Luke, there is a very good chance I will not return; I need you to be prepared for that. If I'm killed or imprisoned, you will remain here on Dagobah with Master Yoda."

Luke nodded. "I understand."

Obi-Wan then turned to look at the sleeping girl. Even in her sleep he could sense that her earlier fear and apprehension had lessened. She was at -Wan suspected that Luke was responsible; from the moment she was born he had an uncanny ability to calm the temperamental baby even before he began Jedi training. Obi-Wan decided not to wake her, he had already said his goodbyes to her on the ship.

He then turned back to the boy. "Goodbye Luke. May the Force be with you." Obi-Wan was confident in very little, but he knew without a shadow of a doubt that the Force was with and would continue to be with Luke no matter how his mission to rescue Leia turned out.

"May the Force be with you, Master." Luke answered. Obi-Wan desperately hoped it would be so.

_**To Be Continued...**_


End file.
